Edible Alphabet: 9

First-timer Christensen gives a fresh look to a popular genre in this winning abecedarium. The format isn't anything out of the ordinary--each letter is assigned a different edible plant--but the quality of the illustrations and the range and scope of Christensen's subjects lift this well above the norm. Characters and settings are imaginatively multicultural, ranging from Norman Rockwell farms to rooftop gardens in the heart of the city, tropical islands, swamps and urban kitchens. Thoughtfully designed and masterfully executed, Christensen's wood engravings are enlivened by bright splashes of color--the purple of an eggplant, the red of berries or beads in a child's hair. Miniatures of the featured plant anchor the four corners of each page's intricate border. A glossary of edible plants explains the less familiar (Ipomea? Ulu? Xanthorhiza?) culinary delights. Ages 4-up. (Mar.)