Applebet: An ABC | A Best Picture Book Review

Applebet is a book I purchased when I was pregnant with my first child. I knew that it would be regular reading with all of my children, and it was, with all four! Applebet hits every one of my high (some would say picky or snobbish) standards for children's literature. It is a beautifully told story, flowing without being forced from one scene to the next, and enhanced with pictures that not only illustrate the story, but add a layer of meaning beyond the text alone.

As a secondary point, it has an explicitly educational thread in the form of being an alphabet picture book. Yes, "explicitly educational" is definitely second tier in my decision to choose a good storybook. You see, a book cannot hit all the previous points without being, merely because of its excellence in those areas, educational to one extent or another. Aside from everything else, it is educational to the child's burgeoning sense of what good literature is: what is worth reading.

A second-rate book cobbled together just to make an education point not only will likely lose the child's interest sooner, it also degrades his aesthetics, his ability to distinguish and celebrate excellence in books, art, and by extension in every area of his life. And besides aesthetics, most good picture books offer something to learn within the storyline, separate from the explicitly education angle.

This book offers all three: aesthetics, good storyline, and an educational point.

Win-win-win.

Author Clyde Watson's Website

Illustrator Wendy Watson's Website

Wendy Watson's Blog