Thank you Netgalley and Pajama Press for access to this arc.

What a wonderful book. Each letter is illustrated by two pages of superb artwork. On the first page is the letter (with artwork illustrating a word that begins with that letter) along with alliterative prose using that letter. The next page is where the real fun starts as the alliterative prose is turned into fantastical images. But that’s not all. Tucked in around the main image are other tiny things also beginning with the letter. There is a list at the end so you can check that you caught them all. The cover is the F entry which has “Fancy Ferrets Feeling Famous and Fabulous” along with 15 other items.

The time and effort put into this book is amazing and well worth seeking out.

This is a great book for illustration students particularly to peruse and see how to really create a whole gamut of illustration.

The Imaginary Alphabet by Sylvie Daigneault (Pajama Press, September 2023) is a gorgeous addition to an alliterative abecedaria book shelf. Each spread features a letter of the alphabet with an alliterative phrase. The imaginative illustrations, done with colored pencil, bring the silly sentences to life. For example, one favorite of mine is “Quick-tempered Quails Quarrelling in a Queue.”

The illustrations on each page feature the animals out of their natural habitats doing ridiculous human things. In addition to the illustrated scenes, an illuminated letter on each two-page spread is drawn with a concept that begins with the letter (such as bubbles for the letter B, vines for the letter V). The Imaginary Alphabet also becomes a seek-and-find book as readers examine each scene for more items that begin with the letter that are hiding in the illustrations. Can you find them all?

Overall, the ridiculous-ness of the scenes and the delight children will have in seeking all the items starting with that letter make The Imaginary Alphabet a lovely and imaginative book to add to any alphabet book shelf.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance review copy of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A complete and utter delight, truly. The artwork is whimsical, and I am obsessed with alliteration, so this is my finest cup of tea, thank you very much. With the bonus 'go-back-and-discover-these-these-things' list at the back, this must buy book reminds me of those wonderful "I Spy" picture riddle books Scholastic puts out, or those by Graeme Base. It's also simple fun. It fills me with such joy and serenity. Love it endlessly!

I hope for more similar projects from Sylvie in the future. These would make perfect giveaway books at libraries or schools or some such.

This is the kind of book I would have completely submerged myself in for hours as a child. There’s so much too look at and absorb! So much marvelous meticulous magic went into creating this book. You can tell the author really invested her time and energy creating this beautiful book.

I received an electronic ARC from Pajama Press through NetGalley.
Beautiful illustrations capture each letter of the alphabet. Daigneault offers a sentence describing the scene in each page spread. Readers will locate these pieces but make sure you look further to discover all the other words woven into the art. A list of words for each letter is included at the end of the book to check and see if you found them all.
A fun family read or a quiet activity for individual readers.

The Imaginary Alphabet by Sylvie Daigneault - 5/5

This is a unique way to mix fun and learning. The illustrations are phenomenal, and you really have to stop and take in all the details of each illustration. I love that each letter has a sentence describing the illustrations and each word starts with that letter theme.

We had so much fun looking at all the art and pointing out what we saw.