Isabel Wilner (1920–2011)

This is one of my favorite children's Christmas books, which I bought the year my daughter was born. It tells the story of the Nativity in rhyming couplets, one for each letter of the alphabet ("A's for Augustus, emperor of Rome,/Who decreed, "To be counted, let each man go home. B is for Bethlehem, where Joseph must go./There he takes Mary, a long way and slow.") The illustrations are gorgeous, colorful, folk-style pictures full of joy and reverence.

In my opinion, "a Garden Alphabet" is a fun, enjoyable book with a lot to teach to the reader. Each page of the story represents a different letter of the alphabet, and each letter of the alphabet is represented by a farm-themed object or concept, such as dirt, lettuce, onion, and tomato. The story is also written with poetic elements, such as rhyme, alliteration, and onomatopoeia. The illustrations are also very colorful, descriptive, and they make the reader see what each letter of "the show more Garden Alphabet" represents.Lastly, the main idea of this story is to teach readers about the alphabet by using more fun/entertaining concepts that create a fun theme. The book is not story-like, as it has no real plot. show less

In my opinion, this is a simple book, yet filled with so much information. This book informs readers about the alphabet, but at the same time tells them about how to garden.

I liked this book first, because of the writing. I believe that it was organized well. As the audience reads through the whole alphabet, they are able to learn the process of planting seeds, watering them, pulling the vegetables out, and then eventually eating them.

I also liked the illustrations used in this book. show more Sometimes, there are difficult terms used for gardening, like "N is for nasturtium." This is not a common term used, but with the assistance of the illustrations on every page, the reader is able to use context or picture clues to figure out that the word is a term used for the combination of yellow, orange, and red flowers.

I believe that the purpose of this book is to inform the readers of the alphabet and allow them to be more aware of it. With activities that children are familiar with, like gardening, the can be more interested in reading the book. show less

Wilner’s pleasant and lively rhyme is illuminated by Kleven’s lovely bright collage illustrations.

Shanghai born college librarian Wilner composed this poem for a second-grade teacher’s Christmas program. Illustrator Kleven, a former teacher, has also written and illustrated her own books under the name Elisa Schneider.