Alphabet book delves into the heritage of the Appalachians
“A is for Appalachia! The Alphabet Book of Appalachian Heritage” by Linda Hager Pack, illustrated by Pat Banks, 2009, the University Press of Kentucky, $16.95, hardbound, 44 pages: Long-time educator Linda Hager Pack, who teaches children’s literature at Eastern Kentucky University, was born and raised in Hamlin, W.Va.
She wrote this book with an obvious deep affection for the region and its people.
While this is an alphabet book, it differs from most such books in its scope.
While most alphabet books have simple rhymes, this one delves into Appalachian heritage.
The letter “Aa” serves as the book’s introduction, explaining that this book talks specifically about the Southern Appalachian Mountains and where those mountains lie.
Each letter discusses something of importance to the Appalachia of long ago (the author does not specify the exact time). “Ff,” for instance, stands for the farmstead, which is described in much detail, including the presence of a woodshed, a pig pen, a springhouse, a barn and more.
“Pp” stands for the Appalachian Mountain people, who came mostly from Scotland, England, Ireland, Germany and the Cherokee Nation. Pack goes on to say that these strong people celebrated life in spite of the endless hard work they did.
There are also examples of folk tales and “haint” (ghost) stories.
Sometimes in these descriptions are words in bold print, which may be found in a glossary at the back of the book.
One such word is “springhouse,” which was a small structure built on top of or near a spring. This provided drinking water for the house as well as a place where food could be kept cool.
Another phrase is “talking leaf,” which was what the Cherokee called the white man’s newspaper.
There are also plenty of samples of Appalachian expressions, such as “a-fightin’ ” (fighting) and “a-spellin’ ” (spelling).
Pat Banks’ watercolors complement the text beautifully, with gorgeous shading and a myriad of colors, lighting and textures.
She does a wonderful job of capturing the old-time feel of the book’s setting, and her depictions of faces are realistic and diverse.
One flaw in the book is that in the “Jack and the Bean Stalk” story, the text is laid overtop the artwork, making it difficult to read.
At the end of the book are suggestions for places to visit if the reader wants to learn more about Appalachia. Written for ages 4-8.
Lee’s take: A different way to learn the ABCs.
J.J.’s take: Great for those interested in Appalachian heritage.
LEE AND J.J. MACFADDEN are twins and voracious readers living in Bristol, Tenn. E-mail them at leeandjj.doubletake@yahoo.com.
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