Alphabetter

A Better You and Me, from A to Z

By Maura Pierlot & Jorge Garcia Redondo
Reviewed by Margarite Igras

Australian  author, playwright and ethicist Maura Pierlot, has written an alphabet book with a difference.  She has combined the alphabet with purposely selected words to help the reader grow into a person who makes good choices.  Instead of the usual nouns associated with a letter such as G for Guitar and X for Xylophone, the book contains words of character, strength or value such as Brave, Inclusive, Resilient, Tolerant, Nurturing and Mindful. The author claims that the more you understand and practice these values the more you can become the person you would like to be. Together with the comic-like colourful illustrations by Garcia Redondo, each page tells a story and could easily be a focus area for discussion.

It is a clever title – the alphabet not only teaching the reader new words, but empowering them with choices to be better, kinder, more compassionate and caring. There are many cameo scenarios both on the front and back covers as well as the end pages, with animated children engaged in all kinds of activities. Each page is both a visual and textual journey of new words, new ideas and opportunity to grow.

The illustrator has used friendly cartoon characters to tell a story and together with the text, there is so much to learn and discuss. Each bright page in the book has a large colourful letter of the alphabet with the accompanying word. There are two suggested synonyms, the meaning of the word and a thought-provoking question to the reader.

A new twist to a traditional alphabet book, one that is colourful, thought-provoking and engaging, especially for children 4 to 8 years of age.

Affirm Press 2024