Using Alphabet Books across Grade Levels: More than 26 Opportunities

In recent years, the popularity of alphabet books has spread into older grades, as they address a variety of themes and can be used across disciplines. Their complexity can stimulate thinking and offer a world of possibilities in the area of research. Students of all ages are motivated to create an alphabet book on a self-selected topic. The purpose of this article is to highlight a selection of alphabet books to highlight the literacy opportunities these books provide across grade levels. Russell (2012) emphasizes the value of alphabet books in abstract concept development, in their artistic creativity with information to stimulate learning, and in their pure aesthetic charm. Alphabet books can provide a model for narrative or expository structure. They can provide a structure for presenting information on a topic and they can facilitate language development. This article will include suggested titles and activities for using these books during instruction.