On Market Street

Have you ever seen a man dressed entirely in playing cards? Or a girl wearing a lollipop dress? Then take a stroll through a most unusual market in this Caldecott Honor Book created by Anita Lobel and Arnold Lobel.

Here is a world of wonders, from A to Z. Inspired by seventeenth-century French trade engravings, Anita Lobel's brilliant paintings of the shopkeepers on Market Street--each composed of his or her wares--will provide blissful hours for all who join the Lobels on an unforgettable shopping spree.

Have you ever seen a man dressed entirely in playing cards? Or a girl wearing a lollipop dress? Then take a stroll through a most unusual market in this Caldecott Honor Book created by Anita Lobel and Arnold Lobel.

Here is a world of wonders, from A to Z. Inspired by seventeenth-century French trade engravings, Anita Lobel's brilliant paintings of the shopkeepers on Market Street—each composed of his or her wares—will provide blissful hours for all who join the Lobels on an unforgettable shopping spree. "In a delightful and unusual book, a boy trots down Market Street buying presents for a friend, each one starting with a letter of the alphabet. Every letter is illustrated by a figure ingeniously composed of, for instance, apples or show more wigs or quilts. The notion is original, and the sum total enjoyable and unique."—The Horn Book

A Caldecott Honor Book, a New York Times Best Illustrated book, an ALA Notable Book, and a Boston Globe/Horn Book Honor Book for Illustration
https://www.amazon.com/Market-Street-Arnold-Lobel/dp/0688087450

A beautiful book illustrating the alphabet in a unique way, sometimes the people can be a little creepy though dressed in an outfit made up of objects from their letter. It is also a very visual representation of the alphabet that includes objects not typically represented in alphabet books. I also really liked that each outfit was made of multiple objects that fit each category. I feel like this would help students find something they recognize to represent that letter. The book could be used for teaching communities/markets, values of coins, gift giving/presents, and many more. Craft products could include creating a class ABC book in another place such as their school. Each child would be able to create their own letter and then create a class book. show less

I like this book because of the imagination represented throughout every page of the book. The poetry, pictures, and theme demonstrate why this deserves to be A Blue Ribbon Book. The rhyming in the story gives a very positive effect to the meaning conveyed. The very beginning states, "Such Wonders there on Market Street! So much to catch my eye! I strolled the length of Market Street To see what I might buy." The poetry in the very first paragraph of the book delivers a suspenseful, yet positive outlook on what is to come. The child purchases an alphabet of colorful 'things' in which he then gives to a friend. This is a great book about giving and being generous. Instead of using the coins he had to buy himself an alphabet of colorful show more "things", he decided to give. I would highly recommend reading this book to children in grades K-2. show less

I feel as though there should be more words used for the "incredible" illustrated books that I find. This is a story of what can be found at a beautiful outdoor market.

The images drew me in, and when finished, I realized I spent a lot of time looking at the highly talented images of Anita Lobel. She and her husband Arthur Lobel are an award-wining team. He writes, and she illustrates.

I finished this book, in a mesmerized state, then went back and read in two more times, carefully examining each highly creative image.

I had mixed feelings about this book. The overall theme/ subject was teaching the alphabet. I liked this book because the illustrations really supported alphabetic development, even though they were exaggerated. For each letter, a person was made out of an object that starts with that letter. For example, the "O" page pictured a person made out of oranges. However, I think this book could have improved in it's structure. Each page had only the object the boy bought at the market and a common to show that the list goes on. I think the author could have developed a bit more sentence structure and simply emphasized the object bought and corresponding letter. Despite my reservations, this is still a great book for children.

I'm rereading some of Arnold Lobel's books. The illustrations, by Anita Lobel, are amazing. A shopping trip down Market Street, where each vendor is made out of the item that they are selling. I used to read this to my children, and it never got old. Market Street is a magical place.

Here is a world of wonders, from A to Z. Inspired by seventeenth-century French trade engravings, Anita Lobel's brilliant paintings of the shopkeepers on Market Street—each composed of his or her wares—will provide blissful hours for all who join the Lobels on an unforgettable shopping spree. "In a delightful and unusual book, a boy trots down Market Street buying presents for a friend, each one starting with a letter of the alphabet. Every letter is illustrated by a figure ingeniously composed of, for instance, apples or wigs or quilts. The notion is original, and the sum total enjoyable and unique."—The Horn Book