Book Review: Curious George Learns the Alphabet


Curious George Learns the Alphabet (Curious George – Level 1)

H. A. Rey. HMH Books 1973, Paperback, 80 pages, $1.98

Rating: ★★★☆☆

This book is different from the rest of the Curious George series, because it is primarily devoted to introducing each letter of the alphabet by transforming the letter into an animal or other object.  This device makes the letters memorable, and many of the letter-pictures are accompanied by sidebar-style scenes and commentary in the margin.  There is just enough humor to help retain interest, as George takes breaks to make up silly words, play football, and go out for doughnuts (mischievously changing the Man in the Yellow Hat’s note from “One dozen” to “ten dozen.”)  But this is really an alphabet lesson disguised as a story, and might not be a big hit with children who aren’t ready to learn the alphabet.

One nice feature is that the authors have made sure the letter in focus appears frequently in the explanatory text, and have used color to highlight each instance of it.  This makes the text a bit contrived, but it does help the fledgling reader see how the letters he or she is learning are used to create the words of the story.

While this book shouldn’t be the primary introduction to the letters of the alphabet, it is a good supplement for an alphabet lesson, especially for children who have enjoyed the other Curious George books.

Kindergarten-Grade 2-These classic stories are as charming and relevant today as when they were written decades ago. Youngsters will identify with the curious little monkey and his understanding friend, the man in the yellow hat. H.A. Rey’s artwork does not feel dated due to its cartoon style. The audiocassettes follow the standard format, with distinct page-turning signals on one side and uninterrupted reading on the other side. Happy, original music and sound effects enhance the narration, with either a male or female narrator used on each cassette. The narration is clear, easy to follow, and makes for enjoyable listening. Curious George Learns the Alphabet is especially good for bilingual students whose primary language uses a different alphabet. In this story, capital and lower case letters are turned into animals and common objects beginning with that letter. All three packages are appropriate for listening stations in early elementary classrooms or for home use.

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Publication Information: Rey, H.A.. Curious George Learns the Alphabet. Curious George; Houghton Mifflin. 1963. ISBN: 0395137187.
Categories: 3 Stars, Age 04-08, Book Tree, Classicalhomeschooling.org, World Books That Show
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Posted on November 12, 2009


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