A Caribou Alphabet

Owens was inspired to create this book by the Caribou Project in Maine, which reintroduces animals into the wild. Owens's ABC is lightly informational, and a glossary at the back fleshes out the the facts that, given the constraints of rhyming couplets, can be a little obscure. For example, for U and V , ``An ungulate's hooves help on every terrain/ Itchy velvet rubs off and strong antlers remain'' would be tough going for those just mastering the alphabet, but then, this is really just an organizational device. More important are the graceful portraits that emerge of these beasts, clustered around letters and set against moonlit backdrops and snowy plains. Owens uses a stippling technique to render realistic paintings on creamy paper. Far more than an ABC, this is an ode to the caribou, lovingly done and resonant in its execution. All ages. (June)