ALL BUTTERFLIES

Marcia Brown's ABC arrangement functions more as a device for ordering her strong, glowing woodcuts than an aid in learning the alphabet. From "All Butterflies" (patterning a serene wood of black trees and dusty blue sky) we turn to a vibrant, energetic "Cat Dance" in red, yellow and black, then to a comically incongruous "Elephants Fly?" — and so on, each double page picture working butterflies into more or less prominent roles. Every turn of the page hits you with a whole new view in a startlingly different key, and one is tempted to describe each one in turn — the sunset mood of "Giraffes High," the dynamic swirls of "Ice-cold Jumpers" (polar bears), the bold posturing and feathery humor and lovely designs that follow. A very first book, and one to grow on.