The Olphabet: “O” No! An Alphabet Revolt

PreS-Gr 2–The letter O contemplates his place in the alphabet in this whimsical tale of mixed up letters. “Why can’t I be first in the alphabet? Instead of A. I’m a simple circle. Easy to write.” O, complete with twig arms and legs, plus eyes and freckles, kicks off this story by wondering why they always have to be in the middle of the alphabet. Later, O considers what it would be like to live next to best friends such as K (“We like being together”) and G (“We make things Go!”). Then there is the proposal to make the alphabet a circle instead of a line, so that no one goes first and no one is last. Finally, the revolt having played itself out, O decides that they are happy where they are. The wordplay is clever and funny, and young readers are sure to be tickled by O’s cheekiness and disruption of the status quo. Cowdery’s cheerful illustrations feature expressive faces and distinctive colors and patterns for each letter, creating wonderful scenes.