A Is for Australian Reefs 

by Frané Lessac (Author, Illustrator)

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Candlewick
• Year: 2023
• Grades: PreK-4
• Hardcover nonfiction picture book ‏ : ‎ 48 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1536228303

Brief summary: Everything one would like to know about the Australian Reefs. This picture book has two-page illustrations for each letter that are bright and detailed.

Comments: This could be a group read-aloud sharing the large print, or it can be an individual reading of the more specific facts in small fonts that explain the many details of plants and marine life on each page.

4/5 📗📗📗📗

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A Is for Ambitious (Ambitious Girl, 2) 

by Meena Harris (Author), Marissa Valdez (Illustrator)

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
• Year: 2023
• Grades: PreK-2
• Hardcover picture book ‏ : ‎ 40 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 031635449X

Brief summary: ABCs of descriptive words of empowerment. Aimed towards girls. A “stand up and go for what you believe in” type of book. Inspirationally driven.

Sequel to Ambitious Girl, 2021.

Rating 3.5/5 📗📗📗 1/2

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B Is for Bananas 

by Carrie Tillotson (Author), Estrela Lourenço (Illustrator)

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Flamingo Books
• Year: 2023
• Grades: Prek-1
• Hardcover picture book ‏ : ‎ 32 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593528069

Brief summary: Banana does not want to go to bed and makes “B” for banana instead of bedtime. Banana gets tired after going through the alphabet and changing or adding words.

Comments: Cute, humorous bedtime story. 

Rating: 3/5 📗📗📗

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B My Name Is Boy: A Song of Celebration from Australia to Zimbabwe 

by Dawn Masi (Author, Illustrator)

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Doubleday Books for Young Readers
• Year: 2023
• Grades: PreK-2
• Hardcover picture book ‏ : ‎ 40 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593487125

Brief summary: Twenty-six boys share their name, someone else they know, their country, and a verb, all in alliteration.

Comments: It would be a fun activity for students to copy the book’s style by developing the alliterations with their own names and then sharing them with others.

Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗 1/2

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If you enjoy this one, there is a companion book titled G My Name is Girl, 2021.

Playful Pigs from A to Z 

by Anita Lobel (Author, Illustrator)

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
• Year: 2023
• Grades: PreK -1
• Hardcover picture book‏ : ‎ 40 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1534495037

Brief summary: Twenty-six pigs come across a field full of letters. Each pig finds the letter matching its name. In the evening, they all return to their pen.

Comments: Each letter is paired with a pig’s name and a verb. The pages have capital letters across the top, with small case letters on the bottom of each page.

Originally printed in 2015.

Rating 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2

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Alphabuddies: G Is First! 

by Beth Bacon (Author), Karen Kane (Author), Eric Barclay (Illustrator).

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins
• Year: 2023
• Grades: PreK-2
• Hardcover picture book ‏ : ‎ 40 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 006305597X

Brief summary: “G” wants to be first in the alphabet song, but “A” argues it will mess up reading. The letters experiment to see if this statement is true or not.

Comments: Humorous. Speech bubbles. Individual frames or multi-panels like a graphic novel. Large letters and words.

Rating: 3/5 📗📗📗

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P Is for Pirate 

by Greg Paprocki (Author, Illustrator)

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ BabyLit
• Year: 2023
• Ages: Baby-3
• Board book ‏ picture book: ‎ 32 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1423661532

Brief summary: This board book ABC book is all about pirates and sea jargon. Unique illustrations in the mid-1900s style.

Comments: I could tell immediately it was a Greg Paprocki ABC book. He has several others in this cool artistic style.

Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗 1/2

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Mrs. Peanuckle’s Earth Alphabet (Mrs. Peanuckle’s Alphabet) 

by Mrs. Peanuckle (Author), Jessie Ford (Illustrator)

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Rodale Kids
• Year: 2023
• Ages: Baby-3
• Board book picture book ‏ : ‎ 28 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593486633

Brief summary:  Youngers will learn about earth-related topics with explanations.

Bright colors and large graphics. Capital letters.

Comment: This is one of the Mrs. Peanucle’s ABC series.

Rating: 3/5 📗📗📗

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A is for Aretha 

by Leslie Kwan (Author), Rachelle Baker (Illustrator)

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kokila
• Year: 2023
• Ages: Baby-3
• Board book picture book ‏ : ‎ 26 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593406532

Brief summary: Twenty-six black female musicians with a brief explanation of their accomplishments.

Comments: I learned a few I was not aware of too. Illustrated with their portrait and colorful background. I’m unsure how much a baby or toddler could understand, but an excellent source for introducing female musicians and vocabulary.

Rating: 3/5 📗📗📗

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My First ABC Animal Book (Happy Fox Books)

by Editors of Happy Fox Books (Author)

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Happy Fox Books
• Year: 2023
• Ages: Baby-3
• Board book picture book ‏ : ‎ 28 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1641242973

Brief summary: An animal alphabet book illustrated with photographs. Big and small letters. The back has all the animals, and the child is asked if they know them.

Rating: 3/5 📗📗📗

There is another Happy Fox book that came out this year teaching colors called My First Colors: Learn About Our Colorful World. 

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C Is for Car: An ABC Car Primer 

by Ashley Marie Mireles (Author), Volha Kaliaha (Illustrator)

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Familius
• Year: Amazon says October 18, 2022, but the book says 2023
• Ages: Baby to 3
• Board book picture book ‏ : ‎ 20 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 164170725

Brief summary: A car for each letter.

Comments: I learned some new ones. Good visual introduction to specific cars.

Rating: 3/5 📗📗📗

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