AlphaOops!

Today’s reading prompt ABC at the  30 books in 30 days challenge takes me back to Abhay’s pre-school years when I had a tough time getting him to distinguish between the alphabets b and d, and m and n! J The paranoid mom that I was (and in many ways still am!), I wondered if Abhay was bordering on some kind of dyslexia and so I was on the look out for a suitable book on ABC in small letters to make sure Abhay is not dyslexic! With greater exposure to books and educational materials, toddlers now begin recognize letters even before they learn to speak....don't they?  Anyway, having progressed quite a bit in the world of alphabets (thank God!),  Abhay now tries to find alphabets everywhere – in the shapes of clouds, trees and bushes, pebbles and rocks  and of course in the food, especially when it is not of his liking!:-) Even in the most irritated state, you cannot but smile when your little one shows you a half eaten cucumber shaped into a C or D ….isn't it?

Abhay’s first ABC book was ABC Zoo which was gifted to him on his second birthday by my friend in the US which we happily gifted back to her new born daughter who we hoped would enjoy the book during her toddler years. Anyway, for today’s reading, we found a funny one titled “AlphaOops – The day when Z went first” by  Alethea Kontis and illustrated by Bob Kolar. An intelligently written book that gives each alphabet a personality of its own with issues that children can relate to. This is a usual ABC but with a twist, as the alphabet Y and Z are tired of being the last and decide to rebel. As they go backwards….alphabets like P and O decide to cut the order as they complain that no matter where you start, they are always stuck in the middle. As the order gets jumbled up again, everyone blames Z for the mess! Then H hops in claiming his rightful position as he is happy to be where he is. Then R rides in to represent two words instead of one when V vents her frustration as she only got to represent one thing – violin. Everyone takes a cue from R and follows suit and while it appears that everyone has had their turn, U is ushered in by P as it turned out that U had gone for a wee! J  Finally its time to end with ….A, but where is A? Is A upset about the mix-up?  A proves to be sport after all by making a grand entry presenting a host of words beginning with A. With the mix up proving to be hit, all the alphabets decide to go back to their usual order the next time, with Z apologizing for being pushy and A accepting the apology and offering to change the order, if asked politely! J  A different kind of ABC which is educative and entertaining at the same time!