Abstract
One of the earliest forms of literature traditionally made available to small children is the alphabet book. It is usually intended to instruct the child as well as to please him or her. The intent to please is evident in the fact that, besides the letter on the page, most alphabet books have illustrations, and some have a text which may include didactic content but which is sweetened by alliteration, end rhyme, any number of varieties of tropes, mnemonic devices, and sometimes pure silliness. The diversity among alphabet books in appearance, content, and intent make the genre one of the most creatively realized mainstays of early childhood education and literary experience. Indeed, among the surprisingly numerous collectors of children's books, alphabet books form a category that is highly prized chiefly because the freedom of expression they allow both illustrator and author is very conducive to aesthetic appeal. The literally unlettered children who provide the raison d'etre for the alphabet book find within its pages an abundance of features that provoke aesthetic experience. In the humble alphabet book we find a natural vehicle for the cultivation of the aesthetic that is
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