Book Review: G is for Grits: A Southern Alphabet by Nikole Brooks Bethea, Illus by Alison Davis Lyne

Synopsis: 
There is no better way for a child to learn the alphabet than by exploring it in a truly Southern way. Each letter brings to mind trucks roaming through a country field, the smell of fried cooking and sweet pies wafting through the air, or a glass of sweet tea glistening in the sun. There are fragrant flowers galore and friendly birds, butterflies, and bees. The easy rhymes are perfect for every reader and a great way to not only teach the alphabet but acquaint little ones with the world in which they live. From alligators to winding country lanes and fried zucchini, this picture book is an alphabetized list of Southern delights. Breezy rhymes recall an appreciation for good food, laid-back evenings, and the gentle dispositions the region is known for The South is a place unlike any other, as is this charming approach to education.

Review: Kiddo had a blast going through this book! She knows her alphabet and loved guessing the corresponding items on every page, and learning about ones she didn't know about! This is a wonderful book to give to a pre-reader, or an early reader, to focus on the Southern culture and flora/fauna, while giving them new rhymes!  The illustrations are charming and this book would be a lovely Christmas gift for the child in your life!
 

About the Author: Nikole Brooks Bethea is an environmental engineer and children's writer whose stories have been published in magazines such as JAKES and Living the Country Life. A lifelong Southerner, she lives in Marianna, Florida, with her husband and four children. 

About the Illustrator: Alison Davis Lyne is a freelance illustrator who lives and works on a small farm in south-central Kentucky. She has done spot illustrations, magazine covers, greeting cards, traditional portraits, portraits in the style of medieval icons and also paints for the fine-art market. Her love of historical illustration comes from wanting to see history as a child.

Disclosure / Disclaimer: I was sent this book, free of charge, for review purposes, from Pelican Publishing. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it.