ALPHABET FAMILY BAND

An extended family makes beautiful music together with a wide array of instruments.

“Auntie Bangs Congas / Daddy Enjoys Flute” reads the first two pages, setting a pattern in which each family member is introduced playing their instrument of choice as family dog Ramone provides a bit of action. Jones’ acrostic verses cleverly work through the alphabet, even though it is bit of a stretch to imagine that very young “Junior Knows Lute.” The alphabet ends with “You,” who is a sundress-wearing tyke with bouncy pigtails who “Zigs, zags and zooms” in dance and song. The final double-page spread repeats the alphabet and lists several more instruments (from accordion to zither) that could have easily been included in the preceding pages. The art looks to be done in soft-toned watercolors; it is lively, and Jones smartly uses white or muted backgrounds on her detailed spreads. The multiracial family members all have complexions that range from dark brown to deep tan with varied hair textures; they sport Hawaiian shirts and floral prints as they perform in the tropical, beach setting. A note on the back cover mentions that the type in the book is Open Dyslexic, which eases reading for those with dyslexia.

A delightful ditty of a book.