cover image The Alphabet Tree

The Alphabet Tree

Leo Lionni. Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, $16.99 (40pp) ISBN 978-0-394-81016-4

Old favorites find their way back into print. Leo Leonni's The Alphabet Tree was first published in 1968, during America's involvement in Vietnam. In this simple allegory, a fierce wind keeps a tree filled with timid letters at bay. A word-bug and a caterpillar instruct them to form words that say something important (the message they form: ""Peace on earth and goodwill toward all men"") and then the letters head for the White House. .