Animalia by Graeme Base

This is a beautifully illustrated picture book that can be used to teach the alphabet to young children by exploring animals that begin with each letter of the alphabet. Each page in the book is dedicated to one letter and Base uses alliteration to emphasise each letter of the alphabet. For example, his page on the letter 'A' reads, "An armoured armadillo avoiding an angry alligator". This alliteration is accompanied by intricately detailed images that students should be encouraged to explore and analyse. This book is not a narrative as a whole, rather each page depicts a short narrative in itself through both the text and the illustrations.

I would reccommend this book for students anywhere between the ages of 5 and 10. Younger students may use the book to learn about the alphabet whereas older students may use it to learn about alliteration. Older students could write their own narratives using alliteration, analyse the illustrations and create their own artworks that reflect the style of Graeme Base.

Kirsty

http://www.graemebase.com/publish/index.html - Graeme Base's website is very informative and gives the reader some insights into his life, books, artworks, etc. There are even apps available for downloading!