January is a time for new beginnings and getting back to the basics. For young children, learning the alphabet is the beginning of a lifetime of reading. The lower floor of the library houses 345 alphabet books, cleverly composed, beautifully illustrated, and written for all reading levels. Type the word "alphabet" into the library's online catalog as a subject search and choose a title. These are some of the library's newest alphabet books.

A is for Art: An Abstract Alphabet by Stephen Johnson is an example of the basic alphabet book enhanced by Johnson's photographic art. Readers will find a hidden alphabet letter in each picture, if they look closely and turn the book in every direction. The answers are found on the last two pages, in case you miss a clue. Each picture is described by complete sentences of alliterative vocabulary using the appropriate alphabet letter. Johnson also wrote "Alphabet City" in 1996, earning a Caldecott Honor Award for best art in children's books.

The ABC Book of American Homes by Michael Shoulders describes houses found around the corner and around the world, such as farmhouses, houseboats, pueblos and yurts. The watercolor illustrations by Sarah Brannen are detailed and accurate.

All Aboard! A Traveling Alphabet by Chris Demarest revisits the modes of transportation used in the early 20th century, such as ships, trains, planes, and even a zeppelin. Each stylized illustration by Bill Mayer looks like a 1920s travel poster with a single word imbedded in the picture. An alphabet letter is also hidden there. Those who cannot find the letter , can flip to the last page for a hint.

Animal Antics A to Z by Anita Lobel takes readers from A to Z with the help of bouncing bears, playful pigs and zany zebras, to name just a few. Detailed and colorful illustrations of animals doing tricks give readers the sense of being at the circus. At the same time, acrobats bend their flexible bodies to form all 26 letters of the alphabet. To help readers find out more about some of the unusual animals in the book, Lobel has included a summary page with a short paragraph about each animal.

Forestry A-Z by Kathleen Cook Waldron and Ann Walsh is full of information about the modern logging industry, with some bits of logging history. Photographer Bob Warick captures people and places that bring forestry to life. The text is beautifully set on handmade paper in pastel colors, layered on top of and in between several photographs. Each page is a visual treat.

P is for Peanut by Lisa Gelber is another alphabet book featuring photographs, this time in black and white. If K is for kooky, then readers will appreciate the unusual selection of vintage photography used to illustrate the alphabet letters. An index of each photograph includes information about the subject, photographer and date taken. All photos are from the J. Paul Getty Museum collection.

R is for Research by Toni Buzzeo introduces basic research concepts to students who need to find resources in the library. In addition to looking for printed materials such as books and journals, the author encourages use of the Internet and organizational tools for composing a report. Nicole Wong's vivid black line illustrations are filled with extra hand-written information, including a timeline, rules for effective PowerPoint presentations and an example of possible search terms for the word, "cat."

- Lynette Suckow

Youth Services