  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 07/01/2017 PreS—Time for roll call of the lowercase letters of the alphabet in the newest title in the series. The wee peas alphabetically explore activities and occupations on full spreads of building-size letters in Baker's familiar perky colors. The rhymes rollick and the peas cavort around letters that stand for jobs, from the familiar ("We're golfers on the greens—We're groomers and garbage collectors—our work is never done") to the likely lesser known ("We're ichthyologists—we study fish!—and we're ice-cream scoopers."). Vivid facial expressions and costumes make each pea unique. Jailbirds grimace, and kite gliders fly open-mouthed. Soon after the X-Peas (superheroes) flaunt their powers, the cast wonder, "What will we be now?" The answer, of course, "so many possibili-peas!" VERDICT An appealing option for a lapsit so that readers and listeners may leisurely investigate all the pea-ple.—Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA - Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 10/01/2017 “We are peas—alphabet peas! / Busy again in the abcs.” This latest Peas series entry is a “pea-quel” to the pea characters’ alphabet-themed first title, LMNO Peas (2010), here showcasing letters in their lowercase, rather than uppercase, form, and again featuring peas in a host of letter-related occupations and activities, “a” (“We’re architects, authors, and actors . . . .”) to “z” (“zippers on a zip line,” an adventurous pea traversing between letters). Many will be familiar to kids (firefighters, pirates), while others are occasionally clarified in the text (“We’re ichthyologists—we study fish!”). Some may need explaining—like “cowpokes,” “hippies,” and, somewhat jarringly, “jailbirds,” depicting frowning peas in black-and-white stripes behind bars—while others presume prior knowledge of pop culture, like superhero “X-Peas.” It all ends on an upbeat note, however, with “What will we be now? / So many possibili-peas!” In Baker’s lively illustrations, filled with droll details, his now iconic anthropomorphized peas are all bright-hued and animated, and they clamber all over oversize, blocky letters. Another highly enjoyable Peas title filled with bouncy rhymes, a playful approach, and plenty of entertainment. - Copyright 2017 Booklist. Loading...
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