cover image Alfie and Bet’s ABC

Alfie and Bet’s ABC

Patricia Hegarty, illus. by Maddie Frost. Kane Miller, $12.99 (16p) ISBN 978-1-61067-647-2

In this playfully combative pop-up abecedary, Alfie and Bet—a googly-eyed alligator and bear—love the letters of the alphabet, but they can’t seem to agree on which letter is the best of all. Pop-up letters rise out of Frost’s busy scenes, which feature objects and animals that begin with each letter. “But D is for dog,/ and here’s E, F, and G!/ For eggs, fox, and goat—/ oh, we’ll never agree!” cries Alfie. Hegarty’s rhymes can be a little unwieldy and convoluted in places, but Frost’s goofy cartoon animals and the simple pop-ups provide an inviting intro to the ABCs. Ages 3–6. (Mar.)