Amazing ABC

June 25, 2012
Kenney moves from picture books (Cool Cars and Trucks; Cool Robots) to board books with this eye-catching abecedary illustrated entirely with Kenney’s trademark Lego sculptures. The objects Kenney uses for each letter range from the familiar (apple, dog) to the unexpected (excavator, lighthouse), but each one of his Lego creations is sure to delight: for “queen,” Kenney offers a bird’s-eye view of a 2-D playing card, and the “zipper” that closes out the book almost looks functional. Prepare to haul out the Lego bins after finishing this one. Ages 2–5.

December 15, 2012
While the Lego(R) constructions within these board-book pages are ingenious, Kenney's artistry may be lost on those not yet beyond Duplo(R) blocks. From an apple to an owl to a zipper, Legos(R) make up almost every object in this book. Each page features a Lego(R) sculpture, the first letter of the item constructed out of the blocks and a one-word caption labeling the object, all against a solid background. A full alphabet is included on the last page with, again, each letter built out of bricks. That a man can make a living building with blocks is astounding, and several of Kenney's Lego(R) creations are impressive and clever, particularly the shoe, the violin and the zipper. Many of the items will be easy for young children to identify in their Lego(R) forms, such as a house, an owl, a train and a red wagon. Others will be difficult for youngsters to name without some adult assistance, like the goblin, the kites, the nails and the yo-yo. The choice to publish this as a board book is puzzling, since children enjoying board books are typically not building with choke-hazard Legos(R), and those kids who love Legos(R) tend to find board books babyish. Stick with Kenney's hardcover titles for the Lego(R)-obsessed. (Board book. 2-4 years)

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