Alpha Betty by Shoo Rayner

Easy Fiction Treasures

From birth Betty is fascinated by signs and words. Her early communication is via hand signals, then she discovers the alphabet when her mother feeds her some alphabet soup. Betty has one goal. To be a sign maker. When she grows up, she opens a little shop called Alpha Betty's Sign Shop. Her business flourishes until one day a new shop opens just outside of the town. It is called Tacky Tim's Sign Superstore.

"Tacky Tim's Sign Superstore delivered signs to your door and even had a drive-in, while-u-wait sign-making department. Tacky Tim made plastic signs on machines run by computers. He could make three hundred sticky-backed signs before Betty could open a pot of paint."

Now take a look at the name of the rival company - Tacky Tim!  Yes his signs are sticky or tacky but they are also tacky! Over time they fade and begin to peel away with hilarious results.

TOILET becomes TO LET
FRENCH BRANDY HALF PRICE becomes FRENCH BRA    HALF PRICE
THE HAPPY RIDDLER JOKE SHOP becomes THE HAPPY PIDDLER JOKE SHOP

I am sad to say this little treasure, Alpha Betty, is out of print but you might find a copy in a school library. This is a perfect little book for a newly independent reader or as easy and funny read for an older child who is experiencing difficulty with their reading. Alpha Betty published by Walker books. Here are some other books from the Starters series. There were 16 titles in total: