J IS FOR JUDY

The team behind A Is for Audra (2019) returns with an alphabet book devoted to female movie stars from Hollywood’s golden age.

“A is for Audrey, a sudden sensation / when she played a princess in Rome on vacation.” The opening lines of this work are accompanied by an image of a fresh-faced Audrey Hepburn smiling from a Vespa, muted scenes of the city in the background. Pages of rhythmic, rhyming accolades follow as Allman introduces performers such as Carmen Miranda, Hattie McDaniel, and Zsa Zsa Gabor. Some letters refer to several actors (“D is for Debbie and Donna and Doris, / the dynamite Dorothy, and dazzling Dolores”). Most subjects are depicted wearing costumes from famous film roles. The colorful, stylized art achieves likeness without ever resorting to caricature. Each woman’s full name, a movie role, and that movie’s date appear in a small font toward the bottom of the page. Cleverly, the letter X refers to behind-the-scenes “eXperts,” such as editor Barbara McLean and costume designer Edith Head. Endnotes offer more information but not enough for a 21st-century child reading this alone. Kids will likely have questions. Just for starters: Who was Alfred Hitchcock? What is Grauman’s Chinese Theatre? Nonetheless, it’s a slick, enjoyable package. Kudos to Allman for rhyming aquatic with hypnotic to describe swimmer-turned-actor Esther Williams. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Perfect for an adult old-movie buff to share with a younger friend.