Once Upon an Alphabet

Perfect for gift-giving, here isTHE alphabet book to top all others, an over-sized work of brilliance from the illustrator of the #1 New York Times bestselling The Day the Crayons Quit

If words make up the stories and letters make up the words, then stories are made up of letters. In this menagerie we have stories made of words, made FOR all the letters.

The most inventive and irresistible book of the year spans a mere 26 letters (don't they all ) and 112 pages. From an Astronaut who's afraid of heights, to a Bridge that ends up burned between friends, to a Cup stuck in a cupboard and longing for freedom, Once Upon an Alphabet is a creative tour de force from A through Z. Slyly funny in a way kids can't resist, and gorgeously illustrated in a way readers of all ages will pour over, this series of interconnected stories and characters explores the alphabet in a way that will forever raise the bar.

In Once Upon an Alphabet, #1 New York Times bestseller Oliver Jeffers has created a stunning collection of words and artwork that is a story book, alphabet book, and gorgeously designed art book all in one.

Praise for ONCE UPON AN ALPHABET:

An Amazon Best Book of 2014

A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year

A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

A New York Times Bestseller

* The silly, spare, slightly surreal text occasionally rhymes and endlessly surprises. An utterly delightful alphabet book.-Kirkus Review, starred review

* With wry humor, equally droll ink illustrations, and a solid dose of alliteration, Jeffers creates delightful mini-narratives for each letter of the alphabet.-Publishers Weekly, starred review

* An altogether stimulating, surprising, and satisfying reading experience.-School Library Journal, starred review

* Whimsical, funny, occasionally tragic, and highly entertaining, this collection of (sometimes) interlocking tales is brilliantly inventive.-Horn Book, starred review

Jeffers knows how to catch the attention of his young audience while challenging their imagination, intellect and vocabulary. This whimsical exploration of letters and language begs to be read over and over again.-BookPage

Handsome, humorous and clad in bright tomato-red, this] is the sort of book you may want to rush into the arms of imaginative, good-natured children between 4 and 10 years old. T]his is no traditional abecedarian exercise.The stories are wonderfully varied, sometimes philosophical and often end surprisingly; the drawings are just as quirky and unpredictable.-The Wall Street Journal

W]itty from A to Z . . . no one would blame you for having a copy even if there are no kids in the house. Think of it as Edward Gorey for the preschool set -- and their hip parents.-The Washington Post

Author: Oliver Jeffers
Publisher: Philomel Books
Published: 10/14/2014
Pages: 112
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 2.09lbs
Size: 12.50h x 9.23w x 0.76d
ISBN: 9780399167911
Audience: Ages 4-8

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 3.8
Point Value: 0.5
Interest Level: Lower Grade
Quiz #/Name: 169651 / Once Upon an Alphabet: Short Stories for All the Letters


Award: Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards - Honor Book
Award: Capitol Choices: Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens - Recommended


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 09/01/2014
School Library Journal 10/01/2014 pg. 85
Publishers Weekly 10/20/2014
PW Best Children's Books 11/03/2014 pg. 42
PW Children's Starred Reviews 12/01/2014 pg. 27
SLJ's Best Books 12/01/2014 pg. 22
People Weekly 12/15/2014 pg. 56
Horn Book Magazine 01/01/2015 pg. 65
New York Times Book Review 12/21/2014 pg. 21
BookPage 10/01/2014

About the Author
Oliver Jeffers (www.oliverjeffersworld.com) creates art for children and adults alike. His picture books, including Stuck, Lost and Found, How to Catch a Star, The Incredible Book Eating Boy, This Moose Belongs to Me, and The Day the Crayons Quit (a #1 bestseller) written by Drew Daywalt), have garnered multiple starred reviews and spots on the New York Times bestseller list. The Hueys in: The New Sweater was named a New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year in 2012. Oliver also hand-lettered the lyric video for U2's single, Ordinary Love.Originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland, Oliver now lives and creates art in Brooklyn, New York.