The Wildlife A.B.C: A Nature Alphabet Book

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Jan Thonhill
PUBLICATION DATE: 1990
GENRE: Picture Book
BRIEF OVERVIEW: Introduces the letters of the alphabet through a variety of illustrations of North American animals and brief rhyming texts.
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Each student could be assigned a letter of the alphabet and they will have to color the outlined shape of their letter and make it into an animal.
REVIEWER'S NAME & AFFILIATION: Sarah Bessenger, Valdosta State University

Creature ABC

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Andrew Zuckerman
PUBLISHER: Chronicle Books      PUBLICATION DATE: 2009

GENRE: Nonfiction Informational Picture Book

 READING LEVEL: Ages 4

BRIEF OVERVIEW: Creature ABC is a book filled with different animals and the letters each of their names start with.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Students will identify each animal in the book and become familiar with the Alphabet associated with it.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Briana Henderson Valdosta State University 

Alligator Alphabet

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Stella Blackstone/Stephanie Bauer

PUBLISHER:Barefoot Books

PUBLICATION DATE: 2005 

GENRE: Non-fiction Picture Book

READING LEVEL: Kindergarten-Grade 1

BRIEF OVERVIEW: On each page there is a letter of the alphabet with an animal that starts with that letter.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Students will pick a letter, and then they will have to draw a different animal for that letter.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Nicole Waller, VSU

LMNO Peas

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Keith Baker     PUBLISHER:Beach Lane Books     PUBLICATION DATE: 2010 

GENRE: Non-fiction Picture Book  READING LEVEL: Kindergarten-Grade 1
 BRIEF OVERVIEW: As you read through this book you are introduced to the alphabet, letter by letter, while the author also connects them to different types of people and professions. For the letter C, we learn that some people are climbers, campers, or circus clowns. Meanwhile, for the letter D, some are dancers, while others are drivers around town.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: After I read the book to the students, they will each choose a different letter from the alphabet. I will give them a piece of construction paper that is cut out as the shape of the letter that they choose. On the letter, they will draw and write different objects or people that start with their letter. When they are done, we will hang all of the letters, in order, in the classroom. 

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Tori Meyers, Valdosta State University

Animalia

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Graeme Base

PUBLISHER: Puffin              PUBLICATION DATE 1996

GENRE: Alphabet Picture Book                          READING LEVEL: K-3

BRIEF OVERVIEW: This is a beautifully illustrated ABC book that has pictures of animals and other scenery that start with that letter. One example is, "Horrible Hairy Hogs Hurrying Homewards on Heavily Harnessed Horses.”

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY:  Ask students what they noticed about the sentence on each page. They will answer that each word in the sentences started with the same letter. Teach students that this is what an alliteration is. Have them write their own sentences using alliterations.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Meghan Grimes, Valdosta State University

On Market Street

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Arnold Lobel/Anita Lobel

PUBLISHER: Greenwillo Books

PUBLICATION DATE: 2006

GENRE: Fictional Picture Book   READING LEVEL: 1st Grade

BRIEF OVERVIEW: This book is about a boy who goes shopping and features items that represent every letter in the alphabet.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Have each student create an alphabet book by drawing pictures of items that start with each letter of the alphabet - all different from the ones from the story.

REVIEWER'S NAME & AFFILIATION: Megan Powell, Valdosta State University

Shiver Me Letters: A Pirate ABC

Author: June Sobel
Illustrator: Henry Cole
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers    Publication Date: 2006
Genre: Fiction                    Reading Level: pre-k to 1st grade
Brief Overview: Pirates go to island to find their ABC’s.
Integrated Activity: Students could make letters and then write words that start with that letter. Like “c” could have cake, color, etc on it.
Reviewer's Name and Affiliation: Cassandra Wright - Valdosta State University

F is for Fenway

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Jerry Pallotta/John S. Dykes
PUBLISHER: Sleeping Bear Press 
PUBLICATION DATE: 2012
GENRE: Concept book READING LEVEL: 1-4
BRIEF OVERVIEW: This Red Sox Baseball Themed Concept book teaches the alphabet by relating the letters to different sights one might see at Fenway Park. On each letter page, there are baseball-related facts.
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Students can think of a theme that relates to their lives and write their own alphabet book with facts included.
REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Shaina Galvin - VSU

Black? White! Day? Night!

AUTHOR/ ILLUSTRATOR: Laura Vaccaro Seeger

PUBLISHER: Roaring Brook Press; First Edition              

PUBLICATION DATE: 2006

GENRE: Non-Fiction                      

READING Grade Level: 1st

BRIEF OVERVIEW:  A book of opposites

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Students will be given a list of ideas that correspond with the book and they much find the opposite of each.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Nia Ward, Valdosta State University soon-to-be teacher.

Z is for Moose

AUTHOR/ ILLUSTRATOR: Kelly L. Bingham/ Paul O. Zelinsky

PUBLISHER: Merry Makers

PUBLICATION DATE: November 18, 2012

GENRE: Fiction

READING LEVEL: Kindergarten 

BRIEF OVERVIEW: Zebra puts on an alphabet show and moose tries to fit in with every letter INTEGRATED IDEA: Draw your favorite animal and the letter that it begins with and share it to the class 

REVIEWER'S NAME AND AFFILIATION: Kandyce Mahone - Valdosta State University