Can You See the ABC? is a children’s picture book that I have been working on over the past three years, in between being a home parent.
The idea for the book was first conceived when my eldest daughter expressed a desire to learn to read. My initial thought was that, in order to read, you must first be able to identify the letters themselves. I searched for a children’s book built around this concept, where the letters resembled characters, rather than the stock-standard approach (i.e. ‘A’ is for apple).
I was looking for something similar to how I learned Japanese in high school. My teachers used stories to help us remember hiragana characters. Even though I haven’t spoken Japanese in some time, I can still read hiragana. There had to be an equivalent for the English alphabet. I found nothing.
And so, the idea for the book came to be.
Can you see the ABC?
“Before they read words, children are reading pictures.”
— David Wiesner
Children embark on an imaginative journey through a playful narrative that introduces them to the world of letters. This book reframes the way we learn letters by seeing them as characters rather than a mere series of lines. As children explore the pages, they'll discover that every letter resembles something delightful, whether it's an animal or an object. These resemblances aren't forced into letter-shaped moulds; instead, they celebrate the freedom to find letters in various contexts, encouraging children (and adults alike) to see letters as part of their everyday world. The lowercase and uppercase letters come together in one narrative, showcasing their interdependence.
It has been a long journey. The book has taken much longer than anticipated. The moment I decided I wanted to publish it, I realised you can’t just slap paper together anymore. Suddenly, a whole plethora of details become important.
Part of publishing this book is to model for my children that even if what they pursue seems impossible at first, you simply have to put one foot in front of the other and work towards it. Challenges offer our greatest opportunities to grow and build confidence. This book is also an ode to my brother and I, who never took to rote learning. We made up silly names and stories to help remember study material. And if we learned this way, perhaps there are other children who might benefit too.
