TitleAlexandra alphabetDate of publication[1863?]SourceThe Alexandra alphabetDescription
An alphabet book, possibly published to commemorate the marriage of Alexandra of Denmark to Albert Edward, Prince of Wales in 1863, it includes some illustrations of Danish scenes and peoples.
From horn book to battledore to primer: all were devised to instruct children in the letters of the alphabet, and help them towards literacy. By the late 19th century, cheap colour printing processes enabled a proliferation of brightly coloured and accessible reading materials for children.
Alphabet books could be a simple match of letter and word, such as 'a-apple', or be thematically based, for instance animals or trades. In The Alexandra alphabet it is a simple letter and word match. However, the reader is extended with additional meanings for the letters. For 'K Keep' (i.e. a castle) further words beginning with 'K' are provided at the bottom of the page:'Keel, Keep, Keg, Kelp, Key, Kid, Kin, Kind' and 'O Omnibus' can also be 'Oak, Oar, Oat, Odd, Ode, Off, Oil, Old, One'. Additional explanations are also provided on the back page.
This copy donated by G Story shows sign of heavy usage with soiled pages and some paper losses on several pages, and the book has also been crudely sewn along the spine.
There is another copy in the Children's Literature Research Collection where the damage to the original has been so great that a scrapbook has been made of the pictures by pasting them on linen pages and sewing these within a cover.
