ABC UK

It's the details that make this ABC book stand out from the crowd. Featuring historical and cultural highlights of Great Britain (Giant's Causeway, punk music, vindaloo), each letter of the alphabet gets a uniquely stylized treatment in Bate's mixed media art. For “H is for Holmes,” Sherlock peers at readers through a magnifying glass, complete with pipe and deerstalker hat, while in “N is for Nessie,” the benevolent-looking creature hovers in murky light-infused water. Readers will also get a kick out of the 58-letter name of a Welsh village that begins with L (the glossary provides a rough pronunciation, as well as extra information on the other topics). The diversity of subjects makes it a prime pick for Anglophiles of all ages. Ages 5–8. (July)