ABC Munchkins
ABC Munchkins, Doris Brocke, Illustrators: Shawn Brocke and Caroline Brocke. Brocke House Enterprises (ISBN: 9780991835522) 2024.
Summary: An alphabet book with alliteration and fun characters delightfully illustrated eating veggies and fruit fom A to Z.
From an early age, parents teach their children the alphabet as a basis for learning to read. Many are a variation on “A is for….” Doris Brocke with the help of illustrators Shawn and Caroline Brocke have created a book that makes learning the alphabet, particularly in a read aloud setting, far more fun.
It’s a tale that begins with a group of children (the ABC Munchkins) looking for good food to eat. But as they go along they meet unusual creatures eating vegetables or fruit. And as it happens, both the creature and the vegetable or fruit begin with the next letter of the alphabet (with the exception of ice cream for “I”)!
But the fun is just beginning! Each one of these encounters is alliterated beginning with “Astronauts ask all about apricots.”
It only gets more fun from there. We observe that “Cycling cyclops cannot carry carrots.” Meanwhile “Elegant elves enjoy eating eggplant.” One of my favorites was “Garlic gargling gargoyles go gallivant.” The illustration looks like something out of Where the Wild Things Are.
Can you see how much fun this could be to read aloud with a child? Childrn are already attuned to sounds, which the alliteration emphasizes. At the top of each page, the alphabet letter appears in upper and lower case. The alliterated sentences offer an example of this and the sound(s) each letter represent.
I also learned two new words–haskaps, a kind of berry, and xigua, a kind of melon.
In addition, the book seems like a fun and subversive way of encouraging kids to eat their fruits and veggies. Not only is there an incredible array of healthy foods. All the creatures are exuberantly enjoying eating.
In conclusion, this book just works on so many levels. Above all, it is a book to read aloud with great joy. I can’t wait to hear of families who try to eat all the fruits and veggies topped off with an ice cream dessert!
_____________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author for review.