ABC Books Are for All Ages!

Alphabet books were among the first children's books printed.  (Kate Greenaway's 1886 A is for Apple Pie set the bar of excellence.) More than books for education, ABC books showcase artists.  At their best, ABC books delight and bring joy to everyone who reads them.  Some serious, some silly, some exotic, and some deliberately mundane, they look at a world that is both wide and mysterious, navigating various topics, letters, shapes and sounds, images and phonemes.  ABC books can point at and name objects, and older children can search, discover, examine and collect.

The classic Bruno Munari's ABC is a wonderful example of beauty, wit and a marriage of art and ideas for children ages 5 months to 5 years.  All Aboard! A Traveling Alphabet evokes old-time traveling posters by showcasing sharp illustrations about transportation.  And A is for Art:  An Abstract Alphabet is among the most sophisticated - visually and conceptually.  It is a challenge for any school-age child and for adults, too.  ABC books can offer great fun for families.

By Jim Greenman

In Memory of Jim Greenman:

Visionary and Pioneer in Early Education

This edition of Growing Readers is in loving memory of our friend and colleague, Jim Greenman.  Jim was a legend not only within Bright Horizons but in the entire field of early education.  He saw the purpose in children's play and unveiled it for the world to see messy little scientists, emerging builders, acrobats and artisans.  While his passing leaves a major void in our hearts and in the early childhood profession, his legacy leaves an ever-lasting gift to children and educators that will sustain for generations to come.  Jim, you will be dearly missed.

Table of Contents

Infant/Toddler
Preschool
Young School Age
Older School Age
Other Books By
Notables