Abracadabra to Zigzag: An Alphabet Book

Given the current spate of alphabet books, it's gratifying to come upon an imaginative, fresh entry into the field. No mere Apple, Ball and Chair here: Lecourt has carefully selected an ingenious ``mishmash'' that youngsters will devour ``licketysplit,'' to use but two of her cheery choices. The very quirkiness of these entries makes them instantly intriguing--``rolypoly'' and ``pitter-patter'' are beguiling to the ear, and look almost as delicious on paper. Lehman's wide variety of energetic characters delight in their uniqueness. Painted on toenails, smiling faces count off ``eenie, meenie, minie, mo''--the fifth toe is fast asleep. Even the book's design reinforces the fun and inventiveness of this winning debut. While many illustrations are neatly framed, some images spill off the pages--countless ducks echo ``quackety quack'' as they waddle in a green field. The glossary that explains the origins of these expressions is a gold mine for trivia buffs (``odds and ends'' dates from 1746; ``eenie meenie'' was first used by Druid priests). Clearly, ``W'' is for ``winner.'' Ages 4-8. (Apr.)