December Book Review -

The Butterfly Alphabet Book
 

Jerry Pallota & Brian Cassie

ABOUT THE AUTHORS
 

Jerry Pallotta is an award-winning author of children's alphabet books. His combination of interesting facts, detailed research, humor, and realistic illustrations have mesmerized countless children across the United States.

Jerry spent his teenage years in the fishing town of Scituate, Massachusetts, where he kept lobster traps, harvested seaweed, and rode on fishing draggers. He wanted to share the creatures of the seashore with his children but could not find an alphabet book that was fun and exciting. This inspired him to write his first book, The Ocean Alphabet Book,which presented oceanic creatures in a creative format.

When Jerry began writing, he was a full-time insurance salesman. He wrote, edited, and produced his first book out of his garage and sold 5,000 copies to the New England Aquarium, where it has become a bestseller. Jerry then devoted himself full-time to writing and making school and library appearances.

Jerry has written more than seventeen books for Charlesbridge, including The Airplane Alphabet Book, The Bird Alphabet Book, The Boat Alphabet Book, The Butterfly Alphabet Book, The Desert Alphabet Book, The Extinct Alphabet Book, The Flower Alphabet Book, The Frog Alphabet Book, The Furry Animal Alphabet Book, The Jet Alphabet Book, The Icky Bug Alphabet Book, The Ocean Alphabet Book, The Spice Alphabet Book, The Underwater Alphabet Book, The Vegetable Alphabet Book, The Yucky Reptile Alphabet Book, Going Lobstering, The Icky Bug Counting Book, and The Crayon Counting Board Book. In the spring of 1999, Jerry's latest endeavor will be released-- The Jet Alphabet Book. Fasten your seatbelts!

Jerry frequently visits elementary schools and libraries across the country to encourage children by teaching them how to create their own alphabet books. A dynamic speaker, he also gives lectures at universities and conferences to promote reading and writing. Jerry's books appeal to children of all ages because of the beautiful illustrations, witty text, and accurate descriptions found in all his work.

Jerry lives in Massachusetts, with his wife and four children.

Visit Jerry online at www.alphabetman.com

As a naturalist, teacher, and writer, Brian Cassie is dedicated to sharing his knowledge of nature with children everywhere. Having led nature tours all over the world, Brian has had many fascinating and unique adventures that he is eager to recreate and utilize as a basis for teaching conservation.

Brian's experience is diverse. He has worked with the Massachusetts and Maine Audubon Societies and Butterflies Through Binoculars Tours, as well as leading groups through the rainforests in Costa Rica, Belize, Mexico, Venezuela, and Jamaica. He is currently the president of the Nuttall Ornithological Club at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Butterfly Club. His expertise encompasses many fields, including tropical ecology, Arctic animal life, plants, seashells, birds, butterflies, and New England natural history.

Brian's first book, The Butterfly Alphabet Book (Charlesbridge, 1995) was co-authored with Jerry Pallotta.

Through his writing, Brian endeavors to bring the natural world to life through words and pictures. He has visited many schools as a speaker and is currently involved in an author-in-residence program at a New Hampshire school. During his visits, Brian inspires students to discover and respect the natural world that surrounds them every day.

Brian lives with his family in Massachusetts.