Alphabeasties, not just for the next generation of Type Nerds

I run with a tough crowd of Type Nerds, the kind who can spend an hour discussing the joys of Helvetica, the horrors of Comic Sans, and play an iPhone game called “Cheese or Font” (yes, this really is a game). But even for those of us who can’t tell a serif from a sans serif, you’ve gotta check out the Alphabeasties and Other Amazing Types alphabet book.

It’s like no alphabet book I’ve ever seen and with three kids, that’s saying something.

Created by two Minnesota graphic designers, Sharon Werner and Sarah Forss, Alphabeasties features animals made from type, like the bat designed out of upper-and-lower case gothic-looking B’s that seem ready to fly off the page. I just know my art-director brother-in-law will be playing “guess the font”, something Sharon and Sarah know too since they list the fonts at the back of the book (B is Fette Fraktur, Jamie).

With pages that fold out and illustrations with interesting typeface choices all over the place, it seems that I catch something new every time I open the book and surely your kids will too.

Be assured that Alphabeasties isn’t just about design and font one-upmanship; its purpose is to get even young kids to think about the letters they see in a different way. Why is the “caution” sign written in all capital letters? Why does that nail salon have curly-q letters on its sign? Do some letters look “fast” and others “slow?” Each page is like Typeface 101 for the preschool set, although I know some adults who will curl up with this book long after bedtime has passed. –Christina

Alphabeasties and Other Amazing Types can be purchased from our affiliate Amazon. Also check out the new, very sturdy Alphabeasties Alphabet Flash Cards that flip over to make a large floor puzzle with all of the creatures.

Congratulations to Amy H, lucky winner of a copy of Alphabeasties and a set of Alphabeasties Flash Cards!