By Ellen Heck
Levine Querido, 2022
Picture book, 40 pages, ages3-9
We speak to each other in many languages, and in some of them…
A is for BEE.
Arl in Turkish
Aamoo in Ojibwe
Abelha in Portuguese
A unique, intriguing, and informational alphabet book.
Ellen Heck’s debut picture book, A Is for Bee: An Alphabet Book in Translation is unlike any alphabet book I’ve ever seen, with a multilingual nonfiction twist. Her scratchboard artwork explores familiar animals in an unconventional way, expanding our minds to what these well-known creatures are called in other languages.
While there is no storyline to follow, curious kids will be fascinated by this book. As a kid, I would have loved poring over the artwork and trying to guess what languages I’d see next.
This book would also open up an opportunity to discuss different cultures and expand a child’s worldview. It could be put to good use in classroom and homeschooling settings.
Back matter includes an author’s note and a URL to hear native or fluent speakers pronounce the words in the book.
Simple, stunning, solid nonfiction.
A Is for B by Ellen Heck receives 4 stars from this reviewer.