P is for Pteradactyl, by Raj Haldar and Chris Carpenter, pictures by Maria Tina Beddia

Raj Haldar (the rapper known as Lushlife) and Chris Carpenter don't want kids to be confused about silent letters.  Or maybe they do.  P is for Pterodactyl: The Worst Alphabet Book Ever lives up to its name, but it's still a lot of fun. 

In traditional alphabet book style, each page features a letter and a corresponding word (__ is for ______) along with a line or two of text with additional words that use that letter and a cute picture by Maria Tina Beddia.  The letters are either silent or else sound like other letters.  One of my faves: "The gnome yells, 'Waiter! THere's a bright white gnat nibbling on my gnocchi!'"  The pictures include additional bits and pieces related to the letter.  At the end a glossary defines and explains the words.

This is probably not the book to buy for the child who is learning the sounds of the alphabet.  But at the next level, when kids are beginning to read and recognize the fun and frustrating complexity of the English language, P is for Pterodactyl will make them smile.