cover image Adelaide to Zeke

Adelaide to Zeke

Janet Wolf. HarperCollins Publishers, $11.95 (30pp) ISBN 978-0-06-026597-7

The fun begins when Adelaide bothers Benny, then all the letters of the alphabet are introduced one after the other in a chain reaction of events. The people and animals involved all belong to the same community and show up together at the end of the book. Dr. Dan delivers Edwina; Father (cooing over Edwina) neglects Gretchen who growls at Horace the dog, which in turn hounds Ichabod the cat, and so on. The transitions are not always logical, but this alluring book will have its place in the minds of readers, particularly the playful idea of contiguousness. Wolf's flat figures inhabit a kaleidoscopic world of color, wavering shapes and fancifully naive patterns. Ages 4-7. (June)