THE ABSOLUTELY AWFUL ALPHABET

Fiends and ghouls abound in a tongue-in-cheek take on standard alphabet-book fare. With “dreadfully dangerous, drooling Demons” and “malicious mealy-mouthed Monstrosities” this is not for the faint at heart. Gerstein reveals a diabolical skill at turning out alliterative phrases full of fiendish references for every letter in the alphabet. Every page contains the featured letter with several lines of text beneath; the letters form when gleefully gruesome creatures contort themselves into the appropriate shape. One monstrous vignette is linked to the next, creating a fantastical tale that encompasses the entire alphabet. Yet lurking behind each outrageous concoction of words is a broad stroke of humor that will appeal to children’s love of the absurd. Neon colors serve as a backdrop for the mutant letters in this irreverent book, aimed at those who delight in the preposterous. (Picture book. 4-8)