cover image Whose House Is This?: A Lift-And-Look ABC Book

Whose House Is This?: A Lift-And-Look ABC Book

Graham Percy, Percy Graham. Random House Books for Young Readers, $11.99 (16pp) ISBN 978-0-679-89201-4

This large-format board book inventively introduces 26 individuals, each living in a miniature house shaped like the first letter of both their first name and their profession. Readers lift sturdy, alphabet-shaped flaps to view the interior of each abode along with a brief blurb about its occupant (""Erik is an Explorer. He's getting ready for his next trip to the steamy jungle""). Percy (24 Strange Little Animals) serves up an appealing hodgepodge of architectural styles, building materials and interior decor and renders most of the homes with an upper story, opening the door for copious creative detail. Outside most of the dwellings, at least one object begins with the spotlighted letter: a juggler is at work near the pink stucco residence of Jack the jockey, and a rhino reclines across the rails beside the clapboard cabin of Ron the railroad engineer. Wide borders, repeated on each spread, picture all the letters of the alphabet as well as an object representing each; the numbers one through 10 also appear. Young animal lovers will appreciate the frequent appearance of numerous species--indoors as well as out. This zippy primer helps drive the alphabet home. Ages up to 4. (Oct.)