An inspired first book by an Australian minister who describes it as ``verbal doodling'': beginning with ``A is for Apple. Everyone knows that,'' she goes on to an increasingly nonsensical ``House That Jack Built''-style cumulative pattern (``G is for Gun/the farmer used/to scare the elephant/that sat on the dog...'') with a unique surprise ending. The challenge of ``X'' is met with unusual aplomb (``X marks the spot/ the wombat used/ to bury the vase...''); then ``Y is for Yowie''—a splendid imaginary creature with six eyes—that ate the whole lot, one by one—``and then burst!,'' leaving Z for Zero. McRae's elegantly stylized illustrations are formed of areas of vibrant pattern and subtly modulated color, pieced together like a crazy quilt and dramatically displayed on stark white. A handsome book with a visual sophistication that will appeal to children as well as to adults and a truly original cumulation that should provide hours of fun. (Picture book. 3-8)