Author Description

My First ABC is designed to stimulate children's curiosity about the letters of the alphabet. Each page is packed with bright, colourful pictures of familiar things to capture children's attention and to encourage them to talk about their own interests and experiences. As you read this book together with your child, try to give each letter as much personal meaning as you can. Young children's first awareness of letters is usually centred around their own names, and the names of other people, or experiences that are important to them. Making these sorts of personal connections makes it easier for your child to remember what individual letters look like, and what they are called. Make learning about the letters fun by playing games with them. Play hunt-the-letter together when looking at the words on each page, and listen for the sounds that individual letters make when you say the words. Show your child how to sing out the alphabet at the bottom of the page, pointing with your finger to each capital letter as you go. Encourage your child to follow the progress of Alphie the Alphabet Builder and predict which letter he will introduce on the next page. Trace the shape of each letter with a finger and talk about how it is formed. This will help your child to write it. Above all, use your child's interest as a guide. Because My First ABC is full of vivid and interesting pictures, you will find that children want to return to it frequently to read and re-read it. Each time they will learn a little more about the letters and about the alphabet, and gain a stronger view of themselves as readers.