Tangerines and TeaMy Grandparents and Me by Ona Gritz (2005) describes the joy of spending time with grandparents. Each page is a rhyme highlighting one letter of the alphabet. Consequently, many of the rhymes include alliteration and assonance. It’s lots of fun to read aloud. There are no isolated letters of the alphabet on any of the pages, unusual for an alphabet book. Professionals who recommend learning a language first by listening will appreciate this. The narrative has advanced vocabulary. For example, the letter E corresponds to, “an enchanting display at the end of each day.” This is not a book that has ‘E is for elephant’. This alphabet book could be appropriate for ESL students willing to accept the two children in the pictures as representing a wide range of ages.
Yumi Heo’s artist note at the beginning of the
book explains her process. She begins with rough sketches, then drawings, then
oil paint. She writes, “sometimes I leave my mistakes… it gives me a sense of
freedom. I hope it will give children the courage to draw and I want them to
think it is OK if they make a mistake”.
