a is for musk ox, written by erin cabatingan and illustrated by matthew myers. A Neal Porter Book, Roaring Brook, Macmillan. Raincoast Books, 2012. $18.99 ages 5 and up

"Look, I'm tired of starting with M.
I'm always stuck in the middle.
With all of those letters on both sides,
nobody remembers me.
But musk ox does not start with A!
But musk ox are awesome!
Plus, we live in the Arctic, which
includes Alaska.
Fine. You can have A. Let's just move on."

There are personalities at odds here...and it doesn't take long to process who has the edge on getting his way! It really isn't an alphabet book; but, the musk ox is bound to make it one. When the zebra notices that the apple is eaten, he does his best to get the musk ox to admit he ate it. With apple juice dripping from his jaw, and apple bits littering the ground in front of him, the musk ox says he can't remember if he ate it. You know right then you are in for a romp...and romp it is!

Well, you have to admit that it's not the same boring 'a is for apple' book you were expecting, right? It's clear enough for everyone to see, as far as the nasty one is concerned.  He wants the zebra to accept his help and get on with the book. What if every single letter had something to do with say...a musk ox? Wouldn't that be brilliant...and certainly, different? It's all in the way you look at things.

The words that musk ox uses to prove he is worthy of a whole book focused on his many attributes range from kooky to quite informative:

"i is for musk ox.
Because musk oxen are intilijent intallijunt intelligent."

and

"o is for musk ox.
Because Eskimos call musk oxen Omingmak.
It means "the animal with skin like a beard."

After hooting over the audacity of the manipulative and manic musk ox, return to the beginning and take a close look  at every detail in the artwork. Matthew Myers has a love for his characters, and gives them such expression...you know what they are thinking and maybe even saying without much prompting. I love the illustration near the beginning where the musk ox is explaining that he has actually made the book better than all of the best known ones. He's standing on a library ladder in front of row upon row of apple alphabet books...so funny! The pages are filled with action, and varying perspectives. Young listeners (and older ones) will find their eyes drawn from one spot to another, constantly on the lookout for the next heated exchange and the hilarity it spawns. Fun, fun, fun!