A New York Review Children’s Collection Original   An ALPHABET book? An ALBUM of old photos? We named it ALPHABETABUM. Here celebrated artists and authors Vladimir Radunsky and Chris Raschka put a delightful new old-fashioned spin on the alphabet book. Radunsky has selected portraits of children from his spectacular collection of antique black and-white photographs. Raschka has given the children names and written deliciously teasing rhymes about them. The result is ALPHABETABUM, a book of letters and pictures to which readers will happily return again and again both to look and to learn. Gr 3 Up—In this digital age, actual photographs are quickly becoming the forgotten flotsam of flea markets. So many people and memories have been lost to the ages, and all that remains are countless discarded anonymous photos. It is this common and mysterious source material that Radunsky and Raschka drew upon to create this beautifully produced picture book. Radunsky, like so many vernacular photography collectors today, has spent hours sifting through bins of photos at flea markets and antique shops, saving snapshots, cabinet cards, and cartes de visite from obscurity. He has selected favorite images of children from his personal collection, and Raschka has assigned each child an alliterative name and peculiar personality by penning poetic captions based on what is depicted in the photo. The photos start with Awkward Agnes Alexandra and continue through Jazzy Zelda Zip and feature slight smiles, clasped hands, cryptic countenances, and photographic props that inform the playful rhymes, taking readers on an alphabetical journey that brings new discovery to these lost and forgotten children. The book's design, with large reproductions graced with photography studio stamps from around the world, reinforces and confirms the notion that regardless if readers grew up in Brooklyn, Boston, Budapest, or Berlin, they have all, at one time or another, had to dress up in their Sunday best and pose for photographs. This work speaks directly to descriptive observation and creativity, which can serve as a jumping-off point for programming and educational opportunities for teachers and librarians.—Billy Parrott, New York Public Library “With it’s dark red and sepia tones, the punningly titled  Alphabetabum  evokes a lost world of European composition books, exotic passports, vintage photo albums and old-school primers. It addresses children and nostalgic adult readers alike, with a rhyming verse for each letter accompanied by a 19th- or early-20th-century studio photo or carte de visite…In  Alphabetabum , the rhymes infuse the letters with affect, reminding us of that other use we make of the alphabet: bringing order to random accumulations—such as old photos of strangers—that can elicit hard-to-define emotions. (One hopes that someone will claim some of these children as ancestors!)” — The New York Times Book Review "This ingenious way to help little ones learn their ABCs uses the hook of vintage photos collected over decades from flea markets around the world. Little Lucian Leroy, a tiny fellow in a tall tophat and tails, likes licorice and lollipops. Baby Beulah Bridget balances a big bow on the top of her noggin. Even kids who don’t understand all the words and concepts will enjoy hearing the alliteration spoken aloud and marvel at the get-ups from days of yore." — Working Mother "Raschka and Radunsky have collaborated to create an ingenious alphabet book with a hook: it’s illustrated with antique photos of children from around the world…The photos, which come from Radunsky’s private collection, are wonderfully evocative, inviting viewers to imagine the real lives of those depicted. The book is, thus, not only an opportunity to learn one’s ABCs but also to indulge in an exercise in imagination. No small feat!” — Booklist  “[A]n irresistible curiosity. It stands out from the crowd. As soon as you see its sepia cover photograph of a child…. you want to know more….It is charming.” — The Observer , (UK) A Best Picture Book for Children for Christmas, 2014 “The antique photos of children accompanying each letter are a mirror into history and just examining the dress and expressions is fascinating.  Add to that Raschka's quirky verse, and you have a picture book that looks like an object from another time and is appealing to all ages.” —Seira Wilson, Omnivoracious Vladimir Radunsky has published more than thirty books for children and received numerous awards, including several  New York Times  Best Illustrated Book Awards and Bologna’s Critici in Erba. Some of his books have appeared on the  New York Times  best-seller list. Chris Raschka has written and/or illustrated more than sixty books for children, including  Yo! Yes? ,  Charlie Parker Played Be Bop ,  Mysterious Thelonious ,  Sluggy Slug ,  Five for a Little One ,  A Poke in the I , and  The Hello, Goodbye Window , and has received a Caldecott Honor, two Caldecot