The Alphabet Tree

This book will address phonemic awareness and other early reading skills. It will help young students understand that letters make words make sentences make books.

I really liked The Alphabet Tree by Leo Leoni. The book's central message had to do with letters and teaching children that letters make words and words combined form sentences. Obviously all young children are in the process of learning this in the classroom so I think the message by Leoni is an important and relevant one. I thought the book had good illustrations and a story children will be drawn to. I especially liked the part where the bug tells the letters that if they can stick together and make words then the wind won't blow them away. Overall, this was a simple story with a clear message that should be well received by young readers. ( )

This book is a great tool for young readers, grades K-2nd. The book will teach children how to arrange letters into words and sentences. The illustrations are colorful and fun, and the children are sure to like this one!

This is another classic book for many! Lionni has a great style with her children's books. This book is about an alphabet tree that lost almost all of its leaves in a strong wind. A bug and a caterpillar help put the letters back on the tree and to form a special message. This book would be great in the classroom to:
-show children how different letters come together to form words
-how team work benefits everyone
-see the alphabet in a different way that is more abstract than usual alphabet books
-form their own alphabet tree
-work hands on with letters

This book had a sweet message, but was a little boring. I do not think that children would be that excited about it. I would have students cut letters out of magazines to form their own letters and words. This story would need to be used with older kids because the message would be difficult for some to understand. I would also have students predict what the president would say once the caterpillar got there. ( )