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Module 6: E-mergency by Tom Lichtenheld


Genre:
Picturebook

 Book Summary:
All the letters live together, and in his haste to beat the breakfast rush, the letter E takes a tumble.  While he's on the mend, the letters are determined not to use him so he can get some rest.  It takes a while for him to recover, but his friends are there to help along the way.

Lichtenheld, T., & Fields-Meyer, E. (2011). E-mergency! San Francisco: Chronicle Books.

 Impressions: A great example of a postmodern picturebook, this story is one that is sure to be loved and read over and over by children and their adults.   Noticing new things with each reading,
the abundance of puns will allow adults to share this with their children and not get board.  The authors have gone above and beyond with the wit in this picture book.

Professional Review:
"Help! The letter E has fallen (down the stairs) and can’t get up!
Get ready to chortle over this zany alphabet book, which poses as a mystery with the letters as the cast of characters, aided by some exclamation points. When E takes a tumble in the alphabet’s crowded communal quarters, all the others are concerned. A takes action, as always, calling the ambulance and assembling the alphabet to determine who will take E’s place. “O, you're the obvious option because you’re so well-rounded.” An announcement is made on television not to “uso! E! until! sho! rocovors!” D and C go to Washington to alert the "govornmont," while the other letters talk it up on talk shows. Then A decides to take a road trip to spread the word: “Pack your bags, lottors. It’s timo for a journoy!” When E just doesn’t get better, the search is on for the culprit who’s broken the letter law. The comic illustrations and the comments from the letters totally exaggerate the cleverness and fun while amusingly emphasizing the importance of the letter E in our language. Lichtenheld’s co-author developed the basic concept in a video, Alphabet House, and it is a rich one.
Definitely not a beginner’s ABC book, but the visual and print punnery will have elementary kids (and adults) guessing and laughing. (Alphabet picture book. 7-10)"
Kirkus (2011). [Review for the book E-mergency! by T. Lichtenheld and E. Fields-Meyer ].  Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/tom-lichtenheld/e-mergency/

 Library Uses:
For older readers, this book would be fun to use when reviewing some of the basic academic vocabulary and rules related to spelling.  Even just isolating one or two pages and using it to remind students of a concept (for example, there is a scene in the book where one of the letters asks the letter Y, "So sometimes you're a consonant?")  There is also some interesting information at the end of the book on how often letters in the alphabet get used.  Students could analyze their own name or the names of everyone in the class and see how it relates to the averages presented by the authors.  This could make for an interesting connection to math.

Readalikes:
Z is for Moose by Kelly Bingham and Paul O. Zelinsky
AlphaOops: The Day Z Went First by Aletha Kontis
Alphabet Under Construction by Denise Flemming

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