Zebra and YakThe Backwards Alphabet Book
Review posted July 22, 2026.
G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2025. 48 pages.
Review written May 4, 2026, from a library book.
Starred Review
This picture book is the kind of clever idea that makes you surprised you haven't seen it before.
The book begins, "Are you ready to start the alphabet? Let's go!" When you turn the page, you see "Z is for Zebra."
There's a cartoon picture of Zebra on a lounge chair. He throws what I think is a table and a glass (might be a phone), and a speech bubble says "What?" On the opposite page are four comic book panels of Zebra asking why he didn't hear the cue of X for Xylophone.
The book continues with the narrator's words in very serious type, and the rest in comic book format with hand-drawn speech bubbles. After Zebra explains how things should go, the narrator says:
Apple wasn't around.
We're starting with Z instead.
Zebra's response: "This is ridiculous! We need to find Apple!"
On the next page, Yak, too, isn't ready, because he hasn't seen the x-ray machine.
The two of them wander through the alphabet backwards, with plenty more silly situations. At the start of the alphabet, they're wondering what took so long.
When they finally get to Apple, he's very upset that he thought this was happening next week, so he went on vacation. An Alligator deals with him.
So this is one of those silly books that benefit from looking at something old in a new way. It will be better for kids who already firmly know their alphabet - I'd hate to really mess up any future library pages being able to shelve books. (They should also be old enough to be okay with a sentient apple getting eaten.)
I found the book when I saw Zebra and Yak are featured next in a Backwards Counting Book. That doesn't feel as unusual, but I'm guessing it will still be silly.