Best Children's Books of the Year, Bank Street College
When Adam started kindergarten, the teacher wanted him to learn about
letters. But "p" looked like "q," and "b" looked like "d." Adam would
rather color or mold clay. In first grade, his teacher wanted him to put
the letters into words so he could read. That was the beginning of the
Alphabet War. "Was" looked like "saw," and "there" looked like "then."
Almost everyone else in his class was learning to read, but Adam was
fighting a war against letters.
In second grade, he had to learn to spell, which was also impossible.
Now he was so frustrated he got into trouble and had to go to the
principal's office. At last, in third grade, he got the right kind of
help. Slowly he began to do better. During fourth grade, he learned that
he could excel in other things. That gave him the confidence to take
chances with reading. One day he found himself reading a book all by
himself!