Pajama Press

The Wall Street Journal, Closer Look Feature

“Each letter of the alphabet in this vivid collection gets a sentence along with a humorous tableau full of details that are meant to coax the young reader to identify other objects with names that begin with the same letter. The illustration for “I” is particularly funny, with its depiction of two lizards on skates expressing themselves against a backdrop of frozen islands.…There’s a prismatic intensity to Ms. Daigneault’s pictures that gives them a giddy feel.”

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Foreword★ Starred Review

“Dreamy colored pencil illustrations elevate this alphabet book to a work of art. ‘Inspired Iguanas Improvising on Ice’ and a ‘Unique Unicorn Using a Unicycle’ are just a few of the quirky creatures children will come across in this book; more advanced readers can also search the illustrations for hidden elements listed at the back. White-speckled quails, brown-spotted ocelots, and everything in between are depicted in meticulous detail within illustrations that will enchant adults and children alike.”

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Shelf Awareness, Maximum Shelf

“A menagerie of merry and meticulously embellished animals mingles with witty wordsmithing and a whimsical search-and-find component to create an extravagant abecedary for an extensive audience in Sylvie Daigneault’s glorious, oversized picture book, The Imaginary Alphabet.…Its limited lexicon is sophisticated enough to satisfy linguists while still approachable for its intended audience of early and emerging readers. Animal lovers and I Spy series enthusiasts, especially those who appreciate elaborate detail in picture book art, should find special joy in perusing these pages. This ornate, alliterative, and interactive alphabetical adventure invites discovery as it delights admirers with its eccentric animal reveries.”

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Shelf Awareness

“The featured animals span an impressive array of size, skin, or fur texture, and varying degrees of likely familiarity to young readers. Descriptive vocabulary includes words like ‘clumsy,’ ‘orchestrating,’ and ‘velvety,’ striking a playfully erudite tone without veering into pretentiousness….The author/illustrator uses layers of colored pencil, digitally enhanced, to achieve her attentive artwork, which feels elegant and spacious while sustaining a fanciful tone with childish appeal. This is a dreamy addition to personal shelves and library collections.”

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School Library Journal 

“Unassuming at first glance, this sophisticated yet whimsical, alphabet book lures readers into a fantastical alliterative rabbit hole and is visually captivating, with the utmost attention to detail….Daigneault’s digitally enhanced colored pencil drawings are vivid dreamscapes of nature, magic, and imagination that play along with each alliterative description that proceeds. Readers of all ages will linger and absorb the many whimsical plants, animals, and objects woven throughout each carefully crafted illustration….Early elementary aged children will be drawn to the stunning ­illustrations and gamelike details of the book, but the most interest will likely be shown by grown-ups nostalgic for Graeme Base’s Animalia….An enchanting, artistic interpretation of the alphabet, sure to delight readers from A to Z.”

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Publishers Weekly

“Alliterative lines accompany elaborate colored pencil drawings in this fantastical animal abecedarian for fans of Graeme Base….Daigneault’s absorbing drawings incorporate vivid detail in depicting a wide range of subjects, and back matter guides readers seeking to identify objects tucked throughout. Ages 5–10.”

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Kirkus Reviews

“An alliterative animal abecedarium for avid apprentices. This whimsical yet elegant alphabet book unfolds in a series of 26 vignettes. Daigneault crafts scenes bursting with opportunity for further exploration of each sound. “C,” for example, is “Clumsy Camel Cutting a Crunchy Cake.” The accompanying illustration depicts the long-legged shaggy beast perched on a chair, cutting a toppling cake, while a curious cat looks on (clouds dotting the sky and a candy shop in the background). The letter C on the opposing page is formed out of a prickly cactus. Readers will delight not simply in the sounds, but also in the strange juxtaposition of the quirky subjects, drawn in lavish, ornate style….Fun with phonics.”

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Youth Services Book Review

“Every member of the alphabet receives meticulous attention in this lovely look and find book. Beautiful endpapers preview all the letters; each featured in a large, serif font and decorated with relevant items, which preview how they will appear on the subsequent pages. For each, an alliterative sentence appears on the left page, under a capital letter, while the right page features a fanciful and tightly composed scene with intricate pencil drawings….A complete list of every pictured item closes out the book, which will encourage kids to flip back and forth through the pages.”

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CM Review

“Sylvie Daigneault strives for a fresh approach to the well-populated alphabet book genre… The result is a playful and exuberant picture book that also functions as a treasure hunt as sharp-eyed readers are encouraged to find every alphabet clue hidden within the pages, a total of almost 300 “little gems”…Young children will enjoy exploring the vivid and meticulously detailed coloured pencil illustrations for their own sake while older children will enjoy the challenge of trying to identify every hidden alliterative clue while expanding their vocabularies…Highly Recommended.”— CM Reviews

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The International Educator 

“[The] Imaginary Alphabet by Sylvie Daigneault brings back memories of Wallace Edwards’ Alphabeasts….The large picture book is beautifully executed with heavy pages and gorgeous art. Playful words invite readers to find more objects starting with each letter of the alphabet in the luscious illustrations. A list in the back helps to identify over 300 items. A fun new alphabet book for readers of all ages.”

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McLean & Eakin

“Beautiful illustrations and quirky alliteration guarantee this book will be well loved. It’s simple enough for the first stages of learning the alphabet, but complex enough to grow with a child with features like search & find.”

Parnassus Books 

“Clever wordplay and stunning illustrations make this a fabulous alphabet book.”

Sal’s Fiction Addiction

“The alliteration is a real treat and the artwork is stunning in this truly lovely new alphabet book….the joy to be found on each page is glorious….Every letter has its time in the spotlight. Most animals will be familiar to young readers; others will give older readers a chance to test their knowledge of the less familiar, and of some included objects. Colored pencils are used exclusively, and enhanced digitally, creating scenes that whet the appetite for more.” 

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Toronto.com

“Young readers learning their alphabet will enjoy this exquisitely illustrated nature alphabet book….Whether reading about “Inspired Iguanas Improvising on Ice” or “Wild Wolves Wandering the Wintery Woods” children of all ages will enjoy this book….This is definitely one of the best alphabet books that I’ve seen.”

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Dr. Larry Recommends 

“I love alphabet books. I love books that celebrate words. I love books with illustrations that enrich curiosity, wonder and imagination. This is a triple crown winner for me….300 words and one glorious trip to an art gallery with Sylvia Daigneault’s exquisite, fantastical illustrations. This is a WOW! of a book.”

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