M Is for Mischief: An A to Z of Naughty Children (review)

Twenty-six poems, bracketed by an intro and a cautionary valedictory, showcase a collection of troublesome tykes. The alphabetical theme extends not just to the name of the featured kid and his or her key characteristic ("Angry Abby," "Catastrophic Coco," "Kicking Ken"), but also to the verses themselves, which take alliteration to tongue-twisting heights (the "Terrible Twins" "terrorize their timid sisters/ Trash the house like tiny twisters"). The best of the entries have a Struwwelpeter-like trajectory, ending with a suitable comeuppance (Angry Abby makes a fatal misstep when she picks a fight with "that awful alligator") that's as enjoyably awful as the miscreants themselves. The verse is rollicking as well as snarky, varying format from entry to entry to keep things lively. Carpenter's illustrations combine loose-lined scrawls that somehow have a touch of formality in their figure drawing, planes of digital hues in contrasting or coordinating colors, and elements of photocollage, making for an outré blend of slightly retro (there's a touch of Harriet Pincus to the kids' faces) and digital millennium. Kids taken with Gaiman's Dangerous Alphabet (BCCB 6/08) or Kennedy's classic Brats (BCCB 7/86) will find this their destructive cup of tea, and it could also provide lively fodder for a raucous cautionary readaloud.