Museum ABC

by Metropolitan Museum of Art

Book Overview

Museum ABC introduces more than one hundred works art--using the alphabet

This unique alphabet book features four works of art from different cultures and periods for each letter of the alphabet. Simple words matched with intriguing illustrations provide an opportunity for endless exploration. Children will be fascinated to discover that a boat, a rose, a tree, and even a window can be so different from one another -- and from...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0316071706
• ISBN13: 9780316071703
• Release Date: September 2002
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
• Length: 60 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 8.8" x 8.8"
• Age Range: 3 to 6 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 1

Customer Reviews

Beautiful art, but . . .

The art work is this book is impressive: a well-chosen selection of art from around the world with the main object easy to identify. I do have one caveat: the key words are in UPPERCASE e.g., “C is for CAT.”. If you’re really buying this as a first learning-to-read book for the very young, this isn’t ideal, because it isn’t how we read e.g., “C is for cat.”. Your choice.

My favorite ABC book

I’ve ordered this book 3 times now as a gift and for my own kids. Beautiful way to introduce your kids to the alphabet and art at the same time. My son learned his Abcs quickly from this book.

Fantastic for all ages

The recommended reading level for this book is ages 4-6, but my almost 2 year old son LOVES it. I really enjoy it as well. I think this is a wonderful way to introduce children to art and letters. I really appreciate that all the artwork is cited in the back of the book. My son doesn't care about that now, but I do! What I love MOST about this book is that the four paintings featured for each letter are so very different. It enhances a child's imagination and abstract thought. This is a favorite in our collection. I also highly recommend the other two books in this series, "Museum 123" and "Museum Shapes."

Great for Kids!

My two year old loves this book! We originally borrowed this book from the library, but she didn't want to take it back so I compromised and bought her a copy. It's a great tool for reviewing the alphabet and learning words that start with each letter, plus she likes to look at all the pictures. Good purchase!

A great language and art book

This book is beautiful and can be admired by adults as well as children. The child can learn ABC's and words that begin with the ABC's. For each letter there are four pictures depicted of the word it starts with on the opposite page. For example, B is for BOAT and the opposite page has four paintings of boats from the museum on the opposite page. This book is appropriate for ages 2-5.

Perfect combination of art and alphabet

As a parent, teacher and art lover, I'm always looking for quality art books for children. This book delivers beautifully. Both simple and elegant, it reinforces letter sounds and gives a mini "I Spy" with four paintings for each letter, as the above review describes. It is even careful to give the short sound for vowels; for example, U is for "umbrella," not "unicorn." This is an important distinction for very young children who will most likely learn the short sound first in school. Meanwhile, your child's eye is becoming increasingly comfortable viewing different styles of visual art, as each letter's object is offered in varying styles. Highly recommended - a great gift, too. Let's give our kids the gift of art appreciation!

This book is stunning!

My son's godmother gave it to him for his first birthday, and everyone at the party was entranced. It shows four paintings (or details from paintings) for each letter. For instance, H is for hair, and the pictures are of George Washington, a Japanese geisha, a French woman in the 18th century, and an Egyptian princess. This is a book you can look at again and again, and that adults won't tire of. A great, unusual ABC book.