Maritime 123
Maritime ABC
Written and Illustrated by Jane Mason-Browne
Four East Publications $7.95
Recommended for ages 2-6.

As independent booksellers who take pride in putting the right books into the hands of the right people, we are thrilled to be able to offer a local choice for customers who are looking for something with an East Coast flair.  It is apparent that the creator of these two companion picture books has done her homework in terms of selecting appropriate images and place names for each page.  In Maritime 123, “6 Silly seals swim under Confederation Bridge” to “ 20 Horses hurry home on Sable Island” the alliteration and simplicity of the text makes for an interesting and educational read.  Children will make the one-to-one correspondence between the pictures and the actual number.  It is fun to count the objects on each page  “just to be sure” the author hasn’t made a mistake.  There is also a seek-and-find page at the back for youngsters to identify each of the twenty images they just read about.
Maritime ABC  is even more straightforward as upper and lower case letters are displayed along with corresponding images in towns throughout the Maritimes.   “When I was in the Maritimes, I saw an Owl in Oromocto, NB… a Van in Victoria, PEL and a Zodiac on Zwicker Lake, Nova Scotia.”  At the end of this story, all 26 letters are summarized along with the beautiful watercolour illustrations challenging children to recall what each letter stood for and perhaps even what place they came from.
For customers who are looking for something purely Maritime, these are perfect choices.  They make great parting gifts for families who are moving away from this beautiful part of Canada.