ALPHA BRAVO CHARLIE

Demarest explores, through dramatic military-related illustrations, the International Communications Alphabet (ICA). When radios started to be used in combat, it soon became clear that letters alone might be misinterpreted, hence the substitution of words and the birth of the ICA (the Navy added their own bit of clarity with signal flags, also represented by Demarest). Here are our old friends Alpha Beta Charlie, but also Hotel and Juliet, Oscar, Romeo, and Victor, and not to forget Whiskey (clarity, sure, but also a touch of whimsy and mischief). Demarest avoids any jingoism, concentrating instead on the sheer energy of military situations, even their melodrama: check out the German shepherd on the K-9 patrol; the artwork clangs with vibrancy. He keeps the text to a minimum, offering just enough to support the spectacular art. Exciting stuff for kids in the military state of mind, not to mention a good workout for the memory. (Picture book. 6-10)