As the new school year commences, what better way to begin the school year, than a picture book on the ABC’s.

I’ve featured the Grosset and Dunlap Vintage series previously in my blogs at The Snuggery, so as I imagined “L is for Leaf” fluttering to the ground today, I thought of this book; My ABC Book Pictures by Art Seiden

Originally published in the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s from the Wonder Book line, there indeed is “something for every reader in these timeless classic stories, accompanied by classic illustrations.”

Young readers will enjoy the reinforcement of letters learned at school and recognize them again in the animals, toys (tell them what a jack in the box is, just in case they’ve never seen one.) and vehicles that illustrator, Art Seiden, employs to bring the alphabet to life.

There’s a Yak for Y and a slew of veggies for V, a nifty T for Train and S is for Santa.

Wait a sec; circling back to that jack in the box, what child has not seen the vintage Christmas show, “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” on TV each year. In it, Rudolph and Santa visit the Island of Misfit Toys and there’s a talking Jack in the Box there. There’re sure to remember how he works.

A shiny, brightly red Fire Engine stands for F and a very long necked Giraffe is the perfect depiction of G.

Art Seiden’s art is detailed to picture book perfection as he introduces each letter via a toy, animal or vehicle with both interesting and familiar objects bringing the twenty-six letters of the alphabet alive for your young reader.

My favorites are the Dumbo-like elephant, perched atop the letter E, and the triple dipped ice cream cone for the letter I, that looks good enough to slurp.

Y not have a chat with a soft and silky Yak as you introduce your child to the wonders of the letters that are the “Open Sesame” key to the wonder of reading, and all the treasures that lay beyond.