Kipper the dog embarks on an alphabet adventure, searching for things that begin with each letter of the alphabet. It all starts with an ant and Kipper's pig friend, Arnold (since his name does begin with A). The anxious - but polite - Zebra makes his appearance at the beginning of the adventure and every so often throughout the book. He's eager to become part of the story - "Is it my turn yet?" he asks.
What sets this apart from many alphabet books is the story line. For one, there's a cute interactive component that involves kids and makes them think. For example, Kipper can't think of anything that starts with K and asks "can you?". As well, this book has a plot that nicely ties the alphabet pages together, instead of the more common, simple presentation of each letter with an object that represents it. R is for rain and rainbow, so it follows that the S page features Kipper and Arnold splashing in puddles on their way home, where they play with toys, try out an umbrella, draw a picture of a volcano (since they didn't expect they would find a real one), then look out the window to discover a worm after the rain has cleared up. The zebra's appearance from time to time lends a note of delightful anticipation to the story - it's fun when children are involved and looking forward to something. They finish the book feeling Zebra's pleasure as he stands "in the middle of the page", a star at last!
This hardcover is over-sized and wonderfully illustrated with warm, comic-style pictures and enough open space in its 56 pages to create a sense of fun. Each letter of the alphabet is displayed in upper- and lowercase pairs. If your kids are not yet acquainted with this adorable pup (who also stars in a Nick Jr. television series) this clever book is sure to make fans out of them yet.
