Once Upon An Alphabet: Short Stories for All the Letters, by Oliver Jeffers; Philomel, $26.99, 112 pages,  ages 3-5. (October 2014)

Bestselling author-illustrator Oliver Jeffers (The Day the Crayons Quit; Stuck) returns with another whimsical and unique offering for young readers. Here Jeffers dedicates an entire story to each of the letters of the alphabet. Quirky, ink on paper art fill the oversize pages with tales of elephants fitting in envelopes, the wonderful applications of jelly, and cucumbers that aspire to swim. The odd vignettes are captivating, amusing, and will entertain young readers time and again. The book may be too long for pre-schoolers to read in one sitting, but with one story for each letter, parents can easily combine which tales to tell, and children will likely have their favorites already in mind.