When night falls, along comes a peculiar thief who steals each letter of the alphabet, creating a topsy-turvy world as she goes.
The alphabet thief stole all of the B’s, and all of the bowls became owls…
It seems that no one can stop her, until the Z’s finally send her to sleep so that all the other letters can scamper back to where they belong.
Bill Richardson’s zany rhymes and Roxanna Bikadoroff’s hilarious illustrations will delight young readers with the silly fun they can have with language — and may even inspire budding young writers and artists to create their own word games.
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.4
Ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text.
When night falls, along comes a peculiar thief who steals each letter of the alphabet, creating a topsy-turvy world as she goes.
The alphabet thief stole all of the B’s, and all of the bowls became owls…
It seems that no one can stop her, until the Z’s finally send her to sleep so that all the other letters can scamper back to where they belong.
Bill Richardson’s zany rhymes and Roxanna Bikadoroff’s hilarious illustrations will delight young readers with the silly fun they can have with language — and may even inspire budding young writers and artists to create their own word games.
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.4
Ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text.
| Published By | Groundwood Books Ltd — Mar 1, 2017 |
| Specifications | 40 pages | 5.5 in x 7.375 in |
| Keywords | fun with rhymes; wordplay; read aloud; spelling; poetry; verse; rhymes and wordplay; letters and words; early reader; rhymes; rhythm; humorous stories; justice; read aloud; child as narrator; figurative language; alliteration; onomatopoeia; visualizing; imagining; Common Core aligned; grade 2; CC Literature Craft and Structure; Quill & Quire starred review; New York Public Library Best Books for Kids; picture book; poetry; |
| Written By |
BILL RICHARDSON, winner of Canada’s Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour, and former radio host, has written several highly acclaimed books for children. They include The Aunts Come Marching, illustrated by Cynthia Nugent, winner of the Time to Read Award; After Hamelin, winner of the Ontario Library Association’s Silver Birch Award; and The Alphabet Thief, illustrated by Roxanna Bikadoroff, named among New York Library's Best Books for Kids. Bill lives in Vancouver, British Columbia. |
| Illustrated by |
ROXANNA BIKADOROFF’s illustrations have been published internationally for more than twenty-five years. She has won numerous awards, many of them National Magazine Awards, including Best Illustration (Gold). She recently collaborated with Bill Richardson on a collection of poems for adults as well as on her first children’s book, The Alphabet Thief. Roxanna lives in Vancouver. |
| Written By |
|
BILL RICHARDSON, winner of Canada’s Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour, and former radio host, has written several highly acclaimed books for children. They include The Aunts Come Marching, illustrated by Cynthia Nugent, winner of the Time to Read Award; After Hamelin, winner of the Ontario Library Association’s Silver Birch Award; and The Alphabet Thief, illustrated by Roxanna Bikadoroff, named among New York Library's Best Books for Kids. Bill lives in Vancouver, British Columbia. |
| Illustrated by |
|
ROXANNA BIKADOROFF’s illustrations have been published internationally for more than twenty-five years. She has won numerous awards, many of them National Magazine Awards, including Best Illustration (Gold). She recently collaborated with Bill Richardson on a collection of poems for adults as well as on her first children’s book, The Alphabet Thief. Roxanna lives in Vancouver. |
| Audience | ages 5 to 9 / grades K to 4 |
| Reading Levels | Lexile 650L |
| Common Core |
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.4
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.4 |
Commended, New York Public Library Best Books for Kids, 2017
Commended, NCTE Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts, 2018
“A smart pick for language lovers of any age.” —Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“A fun romp that lends itself to both quiety amused solo reading and boisterous read-aloud sessions.” —Quill & Quire, STARRED REVIEW
“This sneaky romp will do well one-on-one.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Sure to delight wordsmiths of all ages. A fun read-aloud that lends itself to curricular application.” —School Library Journal
“The text will inspire a passion for humorous wordplay.” —Booklist
“A small and hilarious picture book … Pictures and verses seem to tumble over one another …” —The Wall Street Journal
“The wordplay is fun … Roxanna Bikadoroff's lively spot illustrations deftly keep pace as the altered words pile up.” —New York Times
“The clever story in rhyme and playful ink-and-watercolor illustrations depicting word transformations make this small book one to add to my collection of alphabet books.” —Literacy Daily