The Dangerous Alphabet

Thursday, October 27, 2016

The Dangerous Alphabet

Written by: Neil Gaiman and Chris Grimly

First line: A is for Always, that's where we embark.

Why you should read this book: I don't know if it's the most gruesome alphabet book ever written, illustrated, and distributed, but it definitely takes a note from the Ghashlycrumb Tinies. Horrid and evil things happen to a pair of vaguely Victorian children as they travel through a sewer infested with monsters and cannibal pirates and the letters of the alphabet, A to Z. Just about what you'd expect from Neil Gaiman's alphabet book.

Why you shouldn't read this book: Most kids can handle this sort of thing, but some grownups might be overwhelmed by the morbidity.

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Studies show that children who regularly hear books read and see adults reading books have an easier time learning to read. If your children do not realize that books are fun and contain interesting ideas, they will be less motivated to learn how to read and write. Children who do not learn to read and write have difficulty succeeding in school and at life.

Even infants can enjoy books. You can check baby board books out of the library. Your baby will enjoy sitting on your lap as you read the words and point to the brightly colored pictures. If your baby wants to chew on the book, that's OK too.

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You can learn more about children's books at the American Library Association website. Your public library is a great place to introduce your children to books. They will have special programs and incentives for kids of all ages to love reading. In most systems children are entitled to their own library cards from the time they are old enough to write their own names. It's a great way to teach responsibility as well as foster a lifelong love of learning and books.

If you can't get to the library, but you have an Internet connection, you can find many full-text books on-line. For adults, Project Gutenberg offers thousands of full-text books you can download for free.

Dragon's Library

Thursday, October 27, 2016