Once Upon an Alphabet by Oliver Jeffers

If words make up stories, and letters make up words, then stories are made of letters. In this menagerie we have stories made of words, made for all the letters. 

Our world is filled with letters (although you might think about how different these letters look in China or Russia or Japan or Iran). Working in a school library knowledge of the alphabet is quite essential. Luckily I do enjoy putting things into alphabetical order - perhaps that why I became a Teacher-Librarian. BUT there is so much more to discover in this book. This book takes the concept of the alphabet book to a whole new dimension. 

Blurb: Here you will discover twenty-six short stories introducing a host of new characters (plus the occasional familiar face). From Edmund the astronaut with his awkward fear of heights, via the dynamic new investigative due of the Owl and the Octopus, through to the Zeppelin that just might get Edmund a little bit closer to where he needs to be, this book is packed with funny, thrilling, perilous and above all entertaining tales inspired by every letter of the alphabet.

If you are working with a class as a temporary or casual teacher this book should be added to your repertoire. Every letter in this book has their own story to tell - 26 letters, 26 stories. I think this is a simply perfect book to share with an older group of students - Grades 4-6. You could also visit your school library and borrow all of the books by Oliver Jeffers. You might also borrow all of their alphabet books - head over to the Dewey shelf 421. 

Discussion questions before reading Once upon an Alphabet:

• What do you expect to find in an alphabet book?
• Did you have alphabet books when you were very young? Did they have a theme or topic?
• Watch this video animation of The Hidden Alphabet by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
• Why do you think your parents shared alphabet books with you?
• What are some reasons for writing an alphabet book?
• Which letters might be tricky?
• Do you think there are alphabet books written for older children?
• This book begins with A is for Astronaut. What might come next?
• Take a look at these Burning a bridge; Cup in the cupboard; Danger Delilah - what is happening with the letters?

Now look more closely at the cover:

Is there a hint about the contents of this book in the subtitle - Short stories for all the letters?

Time to read this book: 

Then everyone can grab a letter and you could make a class alphabet book of stories. I would limit the writing to 20-30 words and of course everyone will contribute illustrations!

The silly, spare, slightly surreal text occasionally rhymes and endlessly surprises. Jeffers introduces each letter and story title on a separate, colored page, featuring the letter in childlike lettering. Deceptively naïve pen, ink and watercolor illustrations in subdued blacks and grays on white backgrounds add to the overall whimsy. Reappearing visual elements provide intertextual humor. An utterly delightful alphabet book. Kirkus Star review

One thing that sets Jeffers apart from the pack is his deft wordplay. He has always been as comfortable as a writer as he is an illustrator or artist. SLJ Elizabeth Bird

A delight of an alphabet book, Jeffers has revolutionized the genre with his impressive, surprising and funny work.  Waking Brain Cells

Do make sure you take time to look closely at the end papers of Once upon an Alphabet which provide a resolution to each story. 

I am collecting alphabet books for an IBBY talk I am preparing with Dr Robin Morrow. I have started a Pinterest of Alphabet Books with a Difference.

Here is an interview with Oliver where he talks about this book. 

Curious Creatures, Wild Minds part five, ABC

Curious Creatures, Wild Minds

As a teacher-librarian my brain naturally classifies things - yes just like the Dewey Decimal System. When we think about animals, the alphabet is one possible way to organise the myriad of curious creatures especially for young children.


1. Pick a favourite letter or the letter at the start of your name
2. List some animals that start with that letter - this could be done in pairs
3. Put your class ideas together to display
4. Look at these lists

• Are there some animals which are repeated? 
• Are all animal groups represented (birds, fish, reptiles, mammals, amphibians, insects)? 
• Did anyone list a less well known creature? 
• Which letters are missing?

5. Grab as many non fiction books about animals as you can find in your library and go back to step one and see if you can add more animals to your letter and to the class display
6. The teacher shows the class some animal alphabet books - use the covers to guess what you might find inside. Perhaps the book focuses on one region eg Australia or one animal group?
7. If you have found more curious creatures you can add these to your class display
8. Now it is time for you 'wild mind' to fly. 

• Pick an animal you have never heard of and set yourself some questions:
• What does the animal look like? Paint a word picture  
• Where does it live? Habitat and country
• What does it eat? 
• Is this animal in danger? Why?

Now you can make a page for your new animal alphabet book. How will you include some of the facts you have discovered?

Extension activity.  Try to find some animals with double names such as aye-aye and add them to your alphabet book. The science name for this is tautonym. This book is sadly out of print but you might be lucky and find it in a library:

Here is a Wonga Wonga:

Image source Birdlife Australia

 Here are a few from the many thousands of animal alphabet books available in shops and libraries.  This first one by Jennifer Cossins will be published in late October, 2020.

Let's explore a few of the more obscure letters.

I is for Ibex; Ibis; Impala; Indri
O is for Okapi; Olm; Ocelot
P is for Pangolin; Pademelon; Pika
Q is for Quail; Quoll; Quetzal
T is for Tenrec;Tarsier; Tuatara; Tapir
U is for Uakari;Umbrella Bird; Urail
V is for Vampire Bat; Vole; Vicuna; Vaquita
X  is for X-RayTetra; Xerus
Y is for Yak; Yabby; Yuma myotis
Z is for Zebu; Zebra Shark; Zebrafish

Try to find this book about a very curious animal - the Tenrec:

Further reading:

Animals A to Z
Animal Corner
Animal Fun facts
National Geographic Kids
World Wildlife Fund Endangered Animals
Switch Zoo animal list

Pinterest Kinderbookboard - Curious Creatures


I do enjoy reading alphabet books. I think this goes back to a black and white alphabet book (1961) I was given as a very young child. In this book X is for oX - which might be something your class could discuss.

The ACB with Honora Lee by Kate DeGoldi illustrated by Gregory O'Brien

This is a fascinating book because I am not sure who The ACB with Honora Lee will appeal too.  I enjoyed it as an adult but I think only a very sensitive upper Primary reader will appreciate this gentle story.  I hope to put this book into the hands of a reader this term and we will see their reaction.

If you have read Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge then this book might extend your discussion of this important issue with an older child.  I also recommend Penny Pollard's Diary which explores the theme of visiting older residents in a care facility.  You could also read Heartbeat by Sharon Creech, Pearl verses the world by Sally Murphy and Don't Breathe a word by Marianne Musgrove.  For a different picture book on this theme try Newspaper Hats by Phil Cummings.  I also recommend you take a dip into the Silk family books which have a similar feeling of community to the one Perry creates within the nursing home where her grandmother Honora Lee resides.

Perry is a very special girl.  She is the only child of busy parents who have quite rigid ideas about child rearing.  Every day (except Friday) Perry is sent to an after school activity.  Most of these are actually torture for Perry who has an inquiring mind but no aptitude for music (piano Monday, clarinet Wednesday) or movement (Thursday).  She "found it almost impossible to read the music and count and make her hands do different things at more or less the same time."

Luckily she does like writing (Tuesday with Haruka Holme) and she is reward with origami animals "fashioned from washi paper which was delicate and beautifully patterned."

One weekend Perry and her dad visit her grandmother, Honora Lee, in a nursing home.  When Perry's Thursday movement class is cancelled Perry makes the perfect suggestion.  She will visit her grandmother each Thursday. The parents agree (thank goodness).  Each week Perry walks to Santa Lucia with her babysitter Nina and Nina's son Claude.  They take a container of home baking and it is through the sharing of these treats each week that Perry comes to know some of the other residents. Honora herself is a mystery but every now and then she makes a pithy comment or quotes a classic text and gradually a special relationship between Perry and Honora grows.

"See how the fates their gifts allot" The Mikado Gilbert and Sullivan
"Oh for a muse of fire that would ascend"  Henry V Shakespeare.

Perry decides to make a gift for Honora Lee - an ABC book.  As with all plans this one will need some modification along the way.  Trying to be systematic and work through from A to Z is impossible and so the book becomes the ACB as Perry jumps around the alphabet filling her book with words, concepts, people, thoughts and emotions that she hopes her precious grandmother will appreciate. Perry herself is a beautiful character.  Wise beyond her years, patient and persistent.

Here is a little sample of this writing - Perry recites the alphabet.

"Eh Bee See Dee Eee Eff Gee .. Cue Are Ess Tee You Vee"

One of the most interesting aspects of this book are the illustrations.  I cannot think of any books with a similar style.  Take a look at a video about the illustrator Gregory O'Brien.  If you are reading this blog from New Zealand you might be able to see the stage adaption of this book.  You can read about the author Kate De Goldi here.  Here is an interview with a bookseller who will give you some more details about this very special book.

Clever, poignant and sweetly funny, this will be especially appreciated by those who’ve experienced a loved one with dementia.