The Dangerous Alphabet
by Neil Gaiman
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Book Summary Information
Author: Neil GaimanIllustrator: Gris Grimly
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2008-05-01
ISBN: 0060783338
Number of pages: 32
Reading Level: Ages 4-8
Publisher: HarperCollins
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780060783334
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
- Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices
Book Reviews of The Dangerous Alphabet
Book Review: Interesting Book, but NOT for small fry (Truly a Dangerous Alphabet)
Summary: 3 Stars
My children (boy and girl; 7 and 9) happen to like poetry, so it surprised me that they weren't more enthusiastic about this book. The rhyme is good after all, and I thought that the artwork was interesting, but it didn't grab their attention even after I read it to them.
The subject might have something to do with that dismissal. The book has a rather dark theme, you see, wherein a little boy and his sister go off on a subterranean adventure with their gazelle, only to have some monsters kidnap the girl. It all comes out in the end, but my kids aren't into that sort of adventure at this point. (All throughout the pages there are images of children chained to this, that and the next thing; captured in cages, dragged here and there.)
Here's a sample of the prose:
E's for the Evil
that lures and entices;
F is for Fear
and its
many devices;
G is for Good
as in hero,
and morning;
H is for
"Help me!"
-- a cry,
and a warning;
Good enough rhyme, as you can hear if you read it aloud. And the lyrics are accompanied by appropriate artwork by Gris Grimly. In fact, I'd go farther than that and state that really the artwork makes this book. Particularly as there are places where Gaiman's lyrics mean nothing, and the story is moved along solely by Grimly's images.
The artwork, by the way, is done in a sepia tone, in very detailed manner, in sort of an neo-archaic style. And if you look closely enough, you can even find elements on the page that relate to the target letter: a raven for "R", for example.
Talking Points
Just so you know, THE DANGEROUS ALPHABET isn't really a book for small children. The 'alphabet' in the title misleads some folks, but let me assure you that most 3 year old's don't want to see a picture of a child manacled to a wall with something that's either rust or blood dripping down from their wrists.
The target audience is therefore one that already knows their alphabet, and who will enjoy the grisly aspect of the story and artwork.
The book has been given a generic Accelerated Reading number of "5". Which means that it is on the 5th grade level with no specific month determined
Take a look at the art before you purchase this book to make sure that it's appropriate for your target audience.
Fans of Gris Grimly's artwork will be pleased.
Pam T~
mom and reviewer on my blog
(1052)
Summary of The Dangerous Alphabet
A is for Always, that's where we embark . . .
Two children, treasure map in hand, and their pet gazelle sneak past their father, out of their house, and into a world beneath the city, where monsters and pirates roam.
Will they find the treasure? Will they make it out alive?
The Dangerous Alphabet is a tale of adventure, piracy, danger, and heroism told in twenty-six alphabetical lines-although even the alphabet is not to be relied upon here. A delightfully dangerous journey from national bestselling author Neil Gaiman and the monstrously talented Gris Grimly, The Dangerous Alphabet is sure to captivate and chill young readers.
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