ALA Booklist

Who says A comes first and Z goes last? Taking the stage in an uncharacteristically disorderly lineup, the letters of the alphabet speak up and act out like a group of unruly children, jockeying for better positions in the line, demanding second turns, and even taking bathroom breaks. The result is a zany alphabetical romp that begins with an animated letter Z (Zebra and I are SICK of this last-in-line stuff!) and proceeds with splendid chaos to include all the letters, ending with A getting the last word. Every child whose name makes him or her last on any list will feel a kinship with the complaints of the end-of-alphabet letters, and perhaps other kids will see the justice of their grievance. Reflecting the letters' saucy ways, the colorful, stylized artwork dramatizes the action and offers bits of comic byplay for the observant. An alphabet book with attitude.

Kirkus Reviews

A hysterical take on what might happen if the letters of the alphabet mixed things up a bit. When A tries to start off the show, Z storms the stage with zebra, tired of always being last. So, the letters decide to try it differently. Z Y X W, all is going well until P jumps in, not wanting to be always in the middle. P O N, but then H staggers out, wanting to keep his same spot in the line-up. At that point, it becomes a free-for-all, and the giggles are sure to start. V takes his turn, but then tries to take another so he can say something else that starts with V. Z does not respond kindly to this nonsense: "Ooh, V is for violence." Without their usual order, the letters have trouble determining if all of them have had a turn, but find U in the nick of time: "U's been in the bathroom since P took over." A ends the show spectacularly and earns an apology from Z for his pushiness. Kolar's illustrations suit the zaniness of the text perfectly. Difficult as it is to imagine, the letters have facial expressions and personalities. A ruled line at the bottom of the spread helps readers keep track of the out-of-order letters. A must for preschool and elementary classrooms. (Picture book. 3-8)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Making chaos from order may sound like a recipe for disaster, but it also cooks up some entertaining storytelling. In a kind of """"Scrambled States of America """"(by Laurie Keller) for the 26 letters, newcomer Kontis explores the significance of sometimes breaking with routine in this delightful tale about an alphabet gone haywire. """"Z"""" declares his disgust at always being at the end (""""Zebra and I are """"sick"""" of this last-in-line stuff!,"""" and the other letters agree to go backwards. Everything starts off smoothly, until """"P"""" pipes up after """"W"""" as the voice of the forgotten child: """"Even if we go backwards, some of us are still stuck in the middle."""" As the letters re-invent their line-up yet again, each tries to outdo the next, showing off more than one word at a time (""""B is for big beautiful balloons blowing briskly in the breeze above a bevy of bright blue bouncing balls,"""" says """"B""""; """"B is also for broom,"""" scolds """"Z"""", when the balls overtake the stage). Kolar's (""""Racer Dogs"""") detailed illustrations of their lively antics dominate the spreads, while a colorful border along the bottom attempts to keep pace by spelling out whose turn is next. But before matters can completely spiral out of control, """"A"""" aptly uses alliteration to allege her position as top banana. This inventive story delivers a gentle message for kids and adults alike: while routine is a useful management device, it's fun to shake things up every now and then. Ages 4-8. """"(Sept.)"""" .

School Library Journal

Gr 1-2-Letter A starts to introduce itself and is interrupted by activist letter Z, demanding fair and equal turns at going first, wary of its last place in line, and followed in backwards order by letters Y, X, W, and (oops!) P. Soon all harmony disappears out the window, with the bickering letters and their accompanying words. Letter A remains disgruntled, and letter V insists on a second turn. Turmoil grows until letter A blossoms with not one, but a whole spread of words beginning with its sound. Digitally created googly-eyed letters with stick arms and legs, washed in bold colors, animate the alphabet with personality and emotions. Letter R performs a parody of "Singing in the Rain," letter B is suspended from big beautiful balloons, letter Y knits a yarn cap, and a Sendak "Wild Thing" look-alike represents the letter M. Plenty of details to absorb, colorful images to grab the eye, and a confused letter template running below the action create alphabet antics for early readers. A fun addition.-Mary Elam, Forman Elementary School, Plano, TX Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.