Alphabetabum: An Album of Rare Photographs and Medium Verses

Gr 3 Up—In this digital age, actual photographs are quickly becoming the forgotten flotsam of flea markets. So many people and memories have been lost to the ages, and all that remains are countless discarded anonymous photos. It is this common and mysterious source material that Radunsky and Raschka drew upon to create this beautifully produced picture book. Radunsky, like so many vernacular photography collectors today, has spent hours sifting through bins of photos at flea markets and antique shops, saving snapshots, cabinet cards, and cartes de visite from obscurity. He has selected favorite images of children from his personal collection, and Raschka has assigned each child an alliterative name and peculiar personality by penning poetic captions based on what is depicted in the photo. The photos start with Awkward Agnes Alexandra and continue through Jazzy Zelda Zip and feature slight smiles, clasped hands, cryptic countenances, and photographic props that inform the playful rhymes, taking readers on an alphabetical journey that brings new discovery to these lost and forgotten children. The book's design, with large reproductions graced with photography studio stamps from around the world, reinforces and confirms the notion that regardless if readers grew up in Brooklyn, Boston, Budapest, or Berlin, they have all, at one time or another, had to dress up in their Sunday best and pose for photographs. This work speaks directly to descriptive observation and creativity, which can serve as a jumping-off point for programming and educational opportunities for teachers and librarians.—Billy Parrott, New York Public Library