ALICE AND ALDO

“Ah ha! Alice and Aldo are awake” and ready to bounce alphabetically through a day, helping their father do the dishes, handing hay to Hugo the hare, singing in the sandbox, yawning in their yogurt, and finally catching a string of Zs. Lester surrounds Alice, a child, and Aldo, a stuffed donkey, with labeled, simply drawn figures, mixing the usual suspects (ear, elephant, ice cream) with occasional surprises (an erector-set contraption, halter, UFO) and, reflecting her origin, plenty of Australian animals and items. Her cheerful characters and varied, roomy compositions create instant visual appeal; the uncontrived plot and unfamiliar examples will keep even well-read abecedarians glued to the page. (Picture book. 4-6)