A, You're Adorable (with CD) by Buddy Kaye, Fred Wise and Sidney Lippman

Ill. by Nathaniel Eckstrom. CD Recording by Justine Clarke. Scholastic Australia, 2015. IBSN: 9781743626382
(Age: 2-5) From the appealing cover, this alphabet book based on a popular 1940's song seems like it should be a clear winner. The addition of talented children's entertainer Justine Clarke performing the song on a bonus CD makes it seem even better. On opening, it greets you with soft, playful illustrations, each with an animal and other things beginning with that letter. What is nice is that the pages are not overcrowded (three or four things for each letter, for example, elephants wearing earmuffs and having an exciting egg and spoon race). Children will enjoy helping to point out the things that start with that letter. Integrated throughout the letters of the alphabet is a list of reasons why the listener is wonderful, for example, 'B you're so beautiful, C you're a cutie full of charms'. The CD accompaniment is jazzy and upbeat and the lyrics flow quite well. Singing along with the recording is just achievable and it is possible to make up your own tune to sing to the book without the music, as most readers won't be familiar with the original song. Read rather than sang, the text doesn't flow quite as well. This is really a love song from parent to child and could work as a bedtime story, read or sang. However, while it may be suitable for letter recognition and initial sound awareness, and children may like the illustrations, the actual text will probably please parents more so than children.
Nicole Nelson