Q and U Call It Quits

by Stef Wade, Jorge Martin (Illustrator)

Overview

For fans of Z Is for Moose and Little i, this hilarious and quirky story about friendship and the alphabet will make young readers excited about letter learning.

What happens when best friends Q and U quarrel? It’s a real quandary, since they have always been quality friends—a true squad.

But sometimes, U wants some time to herself—even though Q is lonely because he doesn’t always fit in with the other letters without her. When the rest of the alphabet notices the split, they decide they want to do the same. And utter chaos ensues!

Can Q and U come together to quell the mayhem and help the letters repair their friendships?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062970688
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	06/15/2021
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	673,265
Product dimensions:	11.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

The only thing Stef Wade ever quit was the clarinet (she thinks writing books is more fun). Stef is the award-winning author of A Place for Pluto and other books for children. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband and three boys, where they eat a lot of cheese. Visit her online at www.stefwade.com.

After living in London for more than a decade, Jorge returned to his native Spain, where he now lives in a hamlet of only twenty-three inhabitants. In addition to illustrating and writing picture books, Jorge travels the world drawing live graphic summaries; organizes Picturecamp, a picture book masterclass with the likes of Chris Haughton and Benji Davies; and is currently planting a forest in a plot of farmland inherited from his grandparents. Before becoming an illustrator, Jorge worked in design innovation and advertising. Find him online at www.jorgemartin.org.

Editorial Reviews

Humorous and punny. An entertaining recommendation for preschool and early elementary school teachers on a quest for alphabet-themed picture books about letter blending.” — School Library Journal (starred review)

“This witty text incorporates lots of pertinent examples with blends and digraphs highlighted in red. An amusing and applicable story.”  — Kirkus Reviews

“For beginning readers grappling with the intricacies of both phonics and friend groups, this picture book tackles the two together. Entertaining.” — Horn Book Magazine

From the Publisher

For beginning readers grappling with the intricacies of both phonics and friend groups, this picture book tackles the two together. Entertaining.

Horn Book Magazine

★ 05/01/2021

PreS-Gr 2—Conquering kingdoms, quilting for the queen, or simply barbequing, letters Q and U are seemingly inseparable. That is until U begins to feel Q's clinginess and wants to spend more time with her other letter buddies N and S. Q is devastated and lost without U and cannot find new letters to match with quite as easily. U grows frustrated with Q's continued attempts to monopolize her time and escapes to a quiet, secluded island to be alone. News travels quickly to other chummy letter buddies such as TH, SL, WR, and MI that Q and U have split up. Chaos ensues as the pairs become curious about their own independence and break up with their letter buddies. How can anyone enjoy cheese without CH or sleep without SL? Can Q and U quell this alphabet anarchy? This humorous and punny alphabet book highlighting letter blends features colorful and vibrant digitally rendered illustrations. Letter blends within the text are appropriately highlighted in red, making it easy to share examples with young readers. Wade's quirky story pairs well with the personified letters in Anne Marie Houppert's What About X? An Alphabet Adventure. VERDICT An entertaining recommendation for preschool and early elementary school teachers on a quest for alphabet-themed picture books about letter blending.—Emily Brush, Novi P.L., MI

School Library Journal

2021-04-14
In the world of the alphabet, letters work together as partners to make sounds and words.

“Q and U [are] quick friends. Just like T and H, who [are] thick as thieves.” More and more words are created by the Q-U team as they quilt together, play games (involving quests and conquest), and even go on field trips (encountering quacking ducks and squealing pigs on a farm). But though they are good friends, U sometimes feels a bit bothered and would like some time alone or with another letter. “Q needed her more than she needed him.” It is, of course, easy for the letter U to team up and be a part of words that do not include the letter Q, but that does not quite work for Q. As their separation continues, the other letters of the alphabet also begin to detach from their partners until a loud argument results in an overall inability to make words. “With S ignoring H, there was no way to SHHH! or HUSH the crowd.” This prompts Q and U to reconcile in order to shout the word “QUIET!!!!!!” Shocked, the other letters reunite and begin to create their cooperative words again. The witty text incorporates lots of pertinent examples with blends and digraphs highlighted in red. Martin illustrates the fun with colorful individual letter characters who all have eyes, mouths, legs, and arms.

An amusing and applicable story to enhance a reading lesson’s significance of letter pairs. (Picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews