The Alphabet War: A Story about Dyslexia
Illustrator
Gail Piazza
Publisher
Albert Whitman & Company
Publication Year
2004
ISBN
9780807503027
Pages
32 pages
Genre
realism
Format
picture book
Item Type
Fiction
Annotation
When Adam started kindergarten, the teacher wanted him to learn about letters. But "p" looked like "q," and "b" looked like "d." Adam would rather color or mold clay. In first grade, his teacher wanted him to put the letters into words so he could read. That was the beginning of the Alphabet War. "Was" looked like "saw," and "there" looked like "then." Almost everyone else in his class was learning to read, but Adam was fighting a war against letters. In second grade, he had to learn to spell, which was also impossible. Now he was so frustrated he got into trouble and had to go to the principal's office. At last, in third grade, he got the right kind of help. Slowly he began to do better. During fourth grade, he learned that he could excel in other things. That gave him the confidence to take chances with reading. One day he found himself reading a book all by himself.
Grade Level
K-3
Lexile Measure
680L
Diversity Topics
Disability and Health; Learning disability; dyslexia; child with dyslexia; reading disability
Main Character
male child
Race/Ethnicities
White
Family Formation
mother
Awards
Best Children's Books of the Year, 2004 Special Interests Health
Keywords
elementary school; growing up; books; reading; specialized help; learning; personal success
Diversity Impact
direct
STARS Citation
Robb, Diane, "The Alphabet War: A Story about Dyslexia" (2004). Diverse Families. 1679.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/diversefamilies/1679