Book Review of A Party without H
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The Children’s Book Review
A Party without H
Written by Kevin Galpin
Illustrated by John McNees
Ages: 4+ | 30 Pages
Publisher: Mountain Arbor Press (2021) | ISBN: 978-1-6653-0019-3
What to Expect: Friendship, inclusion, literacy, diversity, celebration
In this hilarious picture book, readers will not only share in a tale about inclusion and diversity; they’ll also have a lot of fun practicing their literacy and decoding skills as they follow the story.
After working hard all year, the letters of the alphabet deserve a party, and King A decided to throw one for them. However, Letter H is the wrong size and shape to fit through the castle door, so King A decides not to invite him—this, it turns out, is a disastrous mistake! Without Letter H, no one can be happy, hopeful, or even hungry for the delicious party food.
As the letters who are present try and fix things, the party descends into chaos, with tar instead of art on the walls, cats and bats instead of hats on people’s heads, and letters generally getting more and more mixed up and confused. Then, King A works out the problem – he should have tried harder to ensure everyone – including H – was included. With Letter H back in the party, everyone is soon having fun again – and wearing crazy hats instead of crazy cats on their heads!
Using text effects to make individual letters stand out, as well as rhyme and alliteration, the narrative depends on the reader’s abilities to identify, sound out, and decode letters and words to understand how the chaotic party unfolds. Bright cartoon illustrations feature the letters as characters with comical expressions that add to the humor of the story. Integrating literacy skills within the narrative means that readers are learning both philosophical and practical skills simultaneously—all while laughing aloud at the antics of the confused letters.
A Party without H is an ingenious story about words, literacy, and inclusion, perfect for beginner readers and especially for elementary school classrooms.
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About the Author
Kevin Galpin, MD, is an internal medicine physician who lives in Georgia with his three precious boys and amazing wife. Kevin appreciates children’s stories for their ability to house powerful messages in simple packages.
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