Reviews: (by author)

Van Allsburg, Chris. The Z Was Zapped. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1987. $7.95. ISBN 0-395-93748-5

In Chris Van Allsburg's The Z Was Zapped the letters of the alphabet are players in the Alphabet Theatre's production of The Z Was Zapped. The mysterious play of twenty-six acts begins with "The A was in an Avalanche" and ends with "The Z was finally Zapped." Each letter falls victim to a tragedy. Like Van Allsburg's other stories, The Z was Zapped captivates children (and adults) with its unique plot.

The eerie black and white illustrations are reminiscent of a magic show. Some letters simply vanish, while others evaporate. A large foot steps down on the F; white gloved hands kidnap the K. One can't help but wonder if there is a masterful magician behind the scenes conducting the illusions.

The sentence about each letter is on the back of the page with the drawing of that letter. This causes a lot of turning back the pages to look at the drawing after reading what disaster fell upon that letter. I found this to be annoying, but it is one way of engaging the readers that could be more interesting to younger children. The original plot and the terrific drawings pull the reader in. This book will be enjoyed by readers of all ages.

Alegra Marcel Bartzat Nov. '02

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