It was a great concept to make learning fun and hence I requested this book. My 2.5 years old kid was also excited to see it for the first time, however, he seemed to have lost interest in the actual shadows (probably because of the missing colors) and focussed only on the actual pictures.

I also felt that the "shadows" should have been easier and more from the Kid's world to keep them engrossed. ( )

Some of the pictures aren't that easy to figure out from the shadows, but they do make children think more critically, which is always a plus. The idea behind this is very neat, and I like how the different letters represent various items, instead of just the typical 'a is for apple' concept. ( )

The idea for this book intrigued me when I first saw it. As the parent of two young children, I have seen quite a few alphabet books. Most tend to follow a traditional and therefore predictable path (A is for apple, B is for ball), which makes me appreciate the unusual or more creative versions when I run across them.

As a creative person myself, I hate giving negative reviews. While I really like the concept of the book, I think its execution could use some refining and improvement. The shadows seemed more reminiscent of inkblots rather than actual shadows, and the "shadow" page and "letter" page images often did not match up which I found to be a rather large distraction. I would also like to see different objects used, as many were toys that my own children do not have, so they might not recognize those specific shapes in shadow. As an artist, I would try to work on the concept a little more. Should the images all be unusual words (quince and vinca are great examples), or should they be more traditional words with shadows that are creatively made (extremely low viewpoints, unusual angles). I think the author made an interesting book that can be fun and informative for a family that likes unusual books, and is less interested in the formulaic and traditional ABC genre. I also feel that the introduction of critical thinking skills and the concepts of direct observation for young children is valuable, which this book accomplishes.

I found the vocabulary level of the book to be well within the range of my children, although we are a pretty well-educated family. I would prefer the text to punctuate the intended alphabet word a little more clearly than it had. In all, I like the concept of the book, but I found the execution to be a little lacking. With a good editor and photographer to help the author, I feel this could be a fabulous book to creatively introduce the alphabet to young children.

I received this book in electronic format as a giveaway through LibraryThing.com in exchange for an honest review. ( )

ABC What Can it Be? An alphabet shadows guessing game by Sarah Brown-Schmidt seemed an interesting book to me ,especially for kids...so I applied for a copy in Member Giveaways...
The idea is new and innovative...(Having actual shadows of the objects..!) , but the pictures aren't easily recognizable especially by a child..! In the book's favour though, it really encourages a child to be more observant inorder to co-relate the shadow with the object..!
I would give it a rating of 2.5 ( )

I liked this book especially for younger kids (pre-k to 1st grade). It really had a good intention behind it but some of the picuters like the avocado for A is not an easily recognizable item. It also isn't an item that a yound child might guess because it isn't something they know of. Pictures in these types of books should be reconizable for the age group it is intended for.