The silly puns were entertaining but would go over the heads of little kids. The story was so-so and the resolution anticlimactic. The illustrations were average.

My biggest problem with it is that only one letter is female, a widow. The husband is long lost and the woman pines and sings of him. She says he left a treasure though she doesn't know where. So all of the rest of the letters go find and retrieve it for her. No stereotypes there. Even though lowercase i built the ship, all the officers are uppercase because of course everyone also has to know his place.

So we have a woman used only as a plot device and blatant classism. You're fit to lead by nature of who you were created to be rather than who you've become. It's birthright which just irks me.


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The silly puns were entertaining but would go over the heads of little kids. The story was so-so and the resolution anticlimactic. The illustrations were average.

My biggest problem with it is that only one letter is female, a widow. The husband is long lost and the woman pines and sings of him. She says he left a treasure though she doesn't know where. So all of the rest of the letters go find and retrieve it for her. No stereotypes there. Even though lowercase i built the ship, all the officers are uppercase because of course everyone also has to know his place.

So we have a woman used only as a plot device and blatant classism. You're fit to lead by nature of who you were created to be rather than who you've become. It's birthright which just irks me.


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My five year old niece loves this book, even though she doesn't get most of the jokes (and doesn't even realize that they *are* jokes, in fact).

This is a book chock-full of what are, frankly, horrific puns. The storyline is about how the alphabet travels to find treasure, but it's definitely not an abecedarian. It will not teach your child his or her letters. It's just silly fun.

Do note that it's a longer book (as picture books go), and that many of the jokes will sail right over the head of younger readers ("We sure spent our times roamin'" springs to mind).

As a book for older kids or adults, though, it's completely indispensible. (I read it a lot to myself as the kids nap!) ( )

3Q, 3P