Friday 29 December 2017

Alphabet Books – part 2

Alphabet Books are primarily designed for children. They show the letters of the alphabet with corresponding words and images. They are one of the simplest and most enduring forms of children’s books, a common feature of children’s literature since Shakespeare’s day.

For more background information, and for earlier examples, see part 1 also.

This is part 2 of an 8-part series on Alphabet Books:



1870 Nursery ABC and Simple Speller
published by McLoughlin Brothers, New York

1870 Nursery ABC and Simple Spellerpublished by McLoughlin Brothers, New York

1870 Little Tales for Tiny Tots (extracts):










1870 My First Alphabet:


My First Alphabet
published by McLoughlin Brothers, New York

Anchor, Baby, Cat, Dog, Ear

Fan, Goose, Harp, Inn

Jay, Key, Lighthouse, Man

Nest, Owl, Pitcher, Quince

Rat, Ship, Tortoise, Urn

Vines, Well,  Yew,  Xiphius Gladius ( the scientific name for Swordfish ), Zebra


1870 Prince Arthur's Alphabet:



 Prince Arthur's Alphabet
published by Dean & Sons, London





















1872c Comic Alphabet:


Comic Alphabet published by Shugg & Co., New York

















1873 The Nursery Alphabet:


The Nursery Alphabet
published by Frederick Warne & Co., London


Alphabet, Book,  Corn, Donkey

Engine, Funnel, Geese, Hen

Ice, Jackdaw, Kitten, Letter, Monkey

Nuts, Owl, Pony, Queen

Regiment, Sunset, Tit, Umbrella, Viaduct

Wagon, X, Yew, Z

1874 Picture Alphabet of Nations of the World:


Picture Alphabet of Nations of the World
published by Thomas Nelson & Sons, London and Edinburgh











1874 The Alphabet of Old Friends illustrated by Walter Crane:


The Alphabet of Old Friends by Walter Crane
published by George Routledge and Sons, London & New York











1874 The Noah's Ark Alphabet illustrated by Walter Crane:


The Noah's Ark Alphabet illustrated by Walter Crane
published by George Routledge & Sons, London, Glasgow and New York