Alpha Bravo Charlie: The Military Alphabet

by Chris L. Demarest, Chris L. Demarest (Illustrator)

Overview

Using words to represent each letter of the alphabet is called the International Communications Alphabet (ICA). This alphabet is utilized by the United States military and throughout all civil aviation to clarify and strengthen communications.
Complete with the signal flags that the United States Navy has created to give each letter a color-coded shape, Chris Demarest's dynamic alphabet book honors the men and women who have served, are serving, or will serve in our armed forces — and will thoroughly engage young

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780689869280
Publisher:	Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication date:	06/01/2005
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	965,979
Product dimensions:	12.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	6 - 10 Years

About the Author

Chris L. Demarest says: "A few years ago my wife and I brought our two-year-old son to an open house at a fire station. Ethan loved the big red fire trucks and I became totally enthralled not only by the trucks, but by the idea of serving my community as a firefighter.

"Being a full-time illustrator, I work at home, so I could be on call at any time. I took a lot of classes, passed some hard tests, and became a volunteer firefighter. I am on call for the Meriden, New Hampshire, station, where I now get to drive those big red fire trucks.

"I created Firefighters A to Z to show Ethan and other children what firefighting is really like. It can be an exciting job, but it's also a dangerous one. I hope to convey that through this book."

Chris L. Demarest says: "A few years ago my wife and I brought our two-year-old son to an open house at a fire station. Ethan loved the big red fire trucks and I became totally enthralled not only by the trucks, but by the idea of serving my community as a firefighter.

"Being a full-time illustrator, I work at home, so I could be on call at any time. I took a lot of classes, passed some hard tests, and became a volunteer firefighter. I am on call for the Meriden, New Hampshire, station, where I now get to drive those big red fire trucks.

"I created Firefighters A to Z to show Ethan and other children what firefighting is really like. It can be an exciting job, but it's also a dangerous one. I hope to convey that through this book."

Editorial Reviews

Gr 1-4-This brightly colored picture book introduces young readers to the International Communications Alphabet (ICA), which is used by the military and aviation industry. Each page presents the special ICA word and signal flag representing a letter along with a realistic illustration and one line of descriptive alliterative text using the featured letter. Packed with action and military terms, the text can be somber ("Unidentified American soldiers lie in rest at the Tomb of the Unknowns") and also controversial ("The Navy deploys a destroyer to help defend world peace"). Done in pastels, the illustrations pop right off the pages and depict many aspects of the military from soldiers and marines to medical personnel and journalists. An author's note provides information about the ICA, but children old enough to be curious about this subject will probably want more details and anecdotes. Still, this unique alphabet book will capture the attention of youngsters with military connections or interests.-Julie Roach, Watertown Free Public Library, MA Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

Demarest explores, through dramatic military-related illustrations, the International Communications Alphabet (ICA). When radios started to be used in combat, it soon became clear that letters alone might be misinterpreted, hence the substitution of words and the birth of the ICA (the Navy added their own bit of clarity with signal flags, also represented by Demarest). Here are our old friends Alpha Beta Charlie, but also Hotel and Juliet, Oscar, Romeo, and Victor, and not to forget Whiskey (clarity, sure, but also a touch of whimsy and mischief). Demarest avoids any jingoism, concentrating instead on the sheer energy of military situations, even their melodrama: check out the German shepherd on the K-9 patrol; the artwork clangs with vibrancy. He keeps the text to a minimum, offering just enough to support the spectacular art. Exciting stuff for kids in the military state of mind, not to mention a good workout for the memory. (Picture book. 6-10)

Kirkus Reviews