Vibrant gouache paintings with a folk-art look dominate this alphabetical tour of our nation's capital. From the Air and Space Museum to the National Zoo, the illustrations show tourists captivated by the history and beauty of Washington, D.C. Short paragraphs in tiny print expand on sights in the pictures, while a pedestrian four-line verse opens each alphabetical topic. For example, the double-page spread for the letter C features the facade of the capitol building plus interior views of the Senate and House, with short descriptions of the function of each. The alphabet structure results in a variety of choices, from such destinations as the Lincoln Memorial to places that could easily be missed--for example, Q Street. More extended than Roxie Munro's almost wordless Inside-Outside Book of Washington, D.C. (2001), this attractive offering will find its main audience among parents and teachers introducing D.C. to children. Kids old enough to read the small print may be more inclined to look for books with more information.

The occasional forced or cheesy rhyme doesn't sink this appealing guide to the nation's capital. Coverage is balanced among monuments (the Lincoln Memorial), museums (Air and Space), agencies (the FBI), and gathering places (Q Street); historical and other details flesh out each attraction. The invitingly unrefined gouache illustrations resemble folk art, and each page has a distinctive layout.

An alphabetic celebration of the various sights and attractions of Washington, D.C., falls victim to a fuzzy definition of its audience. Melmed ( Fright Night Flight , p. 1229, etc.) tidily organizes the capital from A (Air and Space Museum) to Z (National Zoo), describing each attraction in rhyming couplets and further explicating specific features in teeny prose print. Thus F is accompanied by both "Who searches for the Ten Most Wanted / And faces terrorists, undaunted? / Who'll ambush the most clever spy / or solve a crime? The FBI!" and "Forensic scientists at the FBI can enlarge fingerprints found at a crime scene and search through their computer data banks to find a match." Lessac's ( On the Same Day in March , not reviewed, etc.) cheery folk-arty illustrations present thumbnail details with as much energy as broad landscapes teeming with happy multiethnic throngs. The illustrations work well with the prose explications, and the level of detail provided by both will delight older children who can get past the young-seeming format and who have the background necessary to provide historical/civic context. But the verse, which never rises above the level of doggerel, is way out of sync with the prose. It insults the readers who would be captivated by the prose and frequently fails to illuminate sufficiently its subjects for younger children. An attractive package that tries to be too many things to too many people. (Picture book. 6-8)

Gr 3-5-A guide to Washington, DC, driven mostly successfully by the alphabet, with bright, folkloric illustrations that are reminiscent of Grandma Moses's work, and with enough detail to keep an incipient young tourist busy on a several-hour journey to the city. The letters are mostly presented on spreads, from A, Air and Space Museum, through X-Y-Z, National Zoo (a bit of a stretch, but these are always tough letters in abecedaries). Each spread offers not only the main illustrations, but also sidebars, cameos, and spots that extend the text. An interesting and timely juxtaposition in today's political climate is the H, the Holocaust Memorial Museum, with the I, the Islamic Center. Each spread has a jingly four-line verse. "G", for Gallaudet University, reads, "In eighteen hundred sixty-four,/President Lincoln signed a law/Providing higher education/For the nonhearing population." "A symphony, cool jazz, ballet,/An opera, or a children's play-/A feast for every taste and age/Awaits you here. Just pick a stage!" describes the Kennedy Center; and, slightly uncomfortably, the verse for the FBI reads, "Who searches for the Ten Most Wanted/And faces terrorists, undaunted?" While these introductions don't contribute much, the accompanying captions for the art offer dates, trivia, and engrossing historical tidbits. Couple this title with Lynn Curlee's Capital (Atheneum, 2003) for a lively, in-depth study of the District.-Dona Ratterree, New York City Public Schools Copyright 2003 Cahners Business Information.