About This Book
Reach for this book when your toddler starts pointing at signs or showing interest in the names of letters. It is the perfect tool for turning early literacy into a playful bonding experience. Sandra Boynton uses her signature whimsical animals to illustrate the alphabet, but with a clever twist: each animal is paired with a specific action that starts with the same letter. This board book is a joyful, low pressure way to introduce phonics and vocabulary. Instead of just looking at an A, your child sees an Ant Adoring. Instead of just B, they see a Bear Boring. This approach encourages active participation and laughter, making it an ideal choice for the 0 to 4 age range when curiosity is high and attention spans are short. It is a classic that builds a foundation for reading through humor and charm.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
None. The book is entirely secular, safe, and humorous.
Ideal Reader
A toddler who is just beginning to transition from looking at pictures to identifying symbols. It is perfect for the child who loves animals and enjoys physical humor or "slapstick" illustrations.
Parent Prep
This book can be read cold. Parents might want to prepare their "silly voices" or be ready to act out the verbs (like yawning or jumping) to increase engagement. A parent might reach for this after noticing their child is curious about letters on cereal boxes or street signs, or if they want a bedtime book that is engaging but short enough for a quick read.
Age Experience
Infants will respond to the high-contrast, bold illustrations and the rhythm of the parent's voice. Toddlers will begin to mimic the actions and name the animals. Preschoolers will start to make the connection between the letter shape, the animal name, and the action word.
What Makes It Special
Unlike many static alphabet books, Boynton uses verbs. By pairing the letter with an action (Gophers Grinning), she introduces the concept of phonics and parts of speech in a way that is invisible to the child but highly effective for learning.
Read plot summary
This is a classic concept book that moves through the alphabet from A to Z. Each page features a different animal character engaged in an alliterative action, such as an Elephant Eating or a Turkey Tripping. It is a simple, rhythmic catalog of letters and verbs.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Look at the Clean Cat! What do you think the cat is using to stay so clean?
2
Can you make a face like the Grinning Gopher? What makes you grin like that?
3
The Turkey is Tripping! What do you think he bumped into?
4
Which animal in this book is your favorite, and can you do the action they are doing?
Reviews
No reviews yet — be the first!
Your experience helps other parents find the right book.
Sign in to write a review
