Rating: 
Summary: ABCs for Grownups
Review: This book is definitly one of the best books for people who enjoy puzzles in picture books. It's more for the adults and not too much for the kids for a few reasons though, one being that you must find words that may be very hard vocabulary. I, personally, even though I'm only 14 years old, enjoy this book a whole lot! The point of this book is like a puzzle. For each letter of the alphabet, there is a little paragraph explaining the letter, and a colorful picture. In the picture, there are many items, things, or things that suggest a phrase that all begin with the letter of that page. For example, if you were looking at the page that is based on the letter "A", you would see in the picture things like an Ant, Astronaut, Architect, Archs, and much more!!! Each letter's picture is very well drawn by Mike Wilks, the author and illustrater for this book. In each picture, it's probably impossible to spot all the things that begin with the certain letter, and this is for a few reasons, one being that the words that can be represented by the picture are very hard and very advanced words. Another reason is that in some pictures there are more than 1,000 things to look for that begin with that certain letter (for the picture representing the letter "S", you must search for 1,229 items!). Besdies searching for items and things that certain letter, it's very entertaining to just look at the pictures. Plus, at the beginning of the book, there'a a large introduction by Mike Wilks explaining why and how he got into art. I also shows how he draws each picture step by step, and why he does it. He explains the "rules" of painting hios pictures, explains how much time it takes, how time affects his work, and much more! If you're thinking of getting this book to keep yourself busy on a boring weekend, it's a great idea! Oh yeah, one last thing: A picture of Mike Wilks himself is in each picture in the whole book. See if you can find him! Sometimes it's real easy, or sometimes his camouflage is just too good for you!!! Enjoy the book!
Rating:
Summary: The Ultimate Alphabet-Mike Wilks
Review: This book is definitly one of the best books for people who enjoy puzzles in picture books. It's more for the adults and not too much for the kids for a few reasons though, one being that you must find words that may be very hard vocabulary. I, personally, even though I'm only 14 years old, enjoy this book a whole lot! The point of this book is like a puzzle. For each letter of the alphabet, there is a little paragraph explaining the letter, and a colorful picture. In the picture, there are many items, things, or things that suggest a phrase that all begin with the letter of that page. For example, if you were looking at the page that is based on the letter "A", you would see in the picture things like an Ant, Astronaut, Architect, Archs, and much more!!! Each letter's picture is very well drawn by Mike Wilks, the author and illustrater for this book. In each picture, it's probably impossible to spot all the things that begin with the certain letter, and this is for a few reasons, one being that the words that can be represented by the picture are very hard and very advanced words. Another reason is that in some pictures there are more than 1,000 things to look for that begin with that certain letter (for the picture representing the letter "S", you must search for 1,229 items!). Besdies searching for items and things that certain letter, it's very entertaining to just look at the pictures. Plus, at the beginning of the book, there'a a large introduction by Mike Wilks explaining why and how he got into art. I also shows how he draws each picture step by step, and why he does it. He explains the "rules" of painting hios pictures, explains how much time it takes, how time affects his work, and much more! If you're thinking of getting this book to keep yourself busy on a boring weekend, it's a great idea! Oh yeah, one last thing: A picture of Mike Wilks himself is in each picture in the whole book. See if you can find him! Sometimes it's real easy, or sometimes his camouflage is just too good for you!!! Enjoy the book!
Rating:
Summary: Countless hours of fun
Review: And i mean that literally... I have come in contact with this book in a bar, where it's pages were spread over different tables. So each night i could sit in a different table and delight myself (and friends) with a different letter. And i don't know how many hours (or beers) i spent trying to spot yet another item beginning with the letter * ( the smile on the skull is still one of my favourites...) . The main reason i say they're countless hours of fun, is that i'm sure there's a lot more in each painting than the artist knowingly put in it, so it's up to each reader to find it.
Rating: 
Summary: The Ultimate Alphabet....LITERALLY!
Review: At first I wasn't sure I liked the book. I didn't like some of the darker pictures like 'Y', or the rhymes that didn't really make any sense to me, but I proved myself wrong. This book is sooo addicting! You could sit down for hours scavenging for words. There are so many!
Some people may mistake this for a little kiddy alphabet book. It couldn't be any less kiddy-ish! It's hard because it's not like the 'I Spy' books, where it has a little rhyme telling you what to find. There aren't many guidelines there to tell you what's in the picture. You have to figure it out yourself. Also, a lot of the words are pretty hard.
This book is definitely worth buying. Buy it and you'll never EVER be bored again!
Rating:
Summary: My all time favorite book....
Review: I first got my copy of The ultimate alphabet 12 years ago when it was first published... I was 7 years old and my Dad and I sat up almost all night ( at least till bed-time ) looking at the pictures. It has to be one of the most amazing books ever produced. I would also strongly suggest taking a look at Mike Wilks' latest creation "Metamorphosis" It gives a real insight into the Artists life and why he spends so much time on his work ( Ultimate alphabet took about 8 years). He is truely an amazing man and this is an amazing book... if any members of the publishing house read this PLEASE re-release it I'm sure there are other fans out there like me who have had their original ( pristine ) copies heartlesly scribbled on by a destructive sibling. If you're planning on reading only one more picture book ( and I use that term very loosly) in your life time read this one it is my altime favorite book and it will keep you intrigued for years ( 12 in my case )
Rating:
Summary: Look and Learn
Review: I first heard of Mike Wilks when I was nearly 16. We saw a video about him in my art class at school back in 1992. All the kids looked pretty impressed, I certainly was. The film showed the way Wilks produces his pictures. We saw his studio in the Pyrenees mountains, an obsessively clean, sparkling white room, where the artist works in complete silence. The video made it quite clear that Wilks is a perfectionist, treating every image with the utmost care. I finally bought "The Annotated Ultimate Alphabet" about five years after seeing the video. The quality of the artwork is incredible, there aren't many books like this around. Not only is this book entertaining, it is useful as well. Apparently Mike Wilks was influenced by Salvador Dali, but I think he is better than that. My favourite page is the letter "S", a room filled with more than 1000 objects beginning with that letter. I still can't name everything. There are all kinds of objects in this book, ranging from the very common, to the really obscure. Some things are instantly recognisable, others will leave you completely baffled. It would be no exaggeration to say that anyone who reads this book and absorbs it fully will become an excellent Scrabble player. In these images Mike Wilks demonstrates exeptional ability, particularly with the airbrush. Here we see draftsmanship of the highest order, just about every member of the animal kingdom is represented accurately. Pen and ink drawings accompany the word lists, giving additional nourishment to a growing vocabulary. This book gives new meaning to that phrase about a picture saying a thousand words.
Rating:
Summary: Simply Wonderful
Review: I have bought this book for many friends children, I'm looking to buy another copy and have found that it's out of print. I can't believe it; I never got a copy for myself. This is a must have book.
Rating:
Summary: Finally, an alphabet book for adults too
Review: If you've never seen this book, you dont know what your missing. This is by far one of the best Art / Puzzle / Alphabet books ever writen (or in this case, painted). Mike Wilks is amazing. He paints hundread of things starting with each letter into each picture. Its great because you have to be creative to figure out them all. If you can find this book, buy it, its totally worth it. I hope the republish it sometime soon.
Rating:
Summary: WONDERFUL AND FUN
Review: The Ultimate Alphabet is a very good book. It has 26 pages of every word you can think of. It might take looking in a few different books like a flag, animal, fish, bird, and flower book to do the page. The only thing I don't like is they say there is so many words in a letter and I never find close to that many. I don't know if I sould count the word plural if there is more than one of the thing. I mean paint is not the same word as paints is it? The B's, J's, and P's are my favorite. I would get somewhere all those books the flag, ect. and a dictionary. It's very good. Now let me go back and type the J's on the computer.
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Summary: A gift from Mike Wilks to everyone!
Review: This is a picturebook for people of all ages. I bought all 5 copies the shop had in stock when I found it about 10 years ago - kept one for myself and the rest were gratefully accepted Xmas gifts (for adults). There is one beautifully rendered, extraordinary detailed, surrealistic picture for each letter of the alphabet. Each picture contains as many items/things/people with names beginning with that letter that Mike Wilks could think of - usually hundreds and many are quite obscure at first, but so obvious later. Taking a lead from Rembrandt, each picture also contains a self-portrait of the amazingly talented artist, but although this is no simple "Where's Wally", they are similar in that what you have to do is work out as many of the items as you can. In the Annotated Ultimate Alphabet, an outline drawing accompanies each picture so you get a bit of a hint of what you're looking for, and there is a solution for each picture, often containing even more information. I've learned more about knots, kegs, parts of a horse, joints (the carpentry kind), symbols, various alphabets and arches than I've ever learned from any other one book and this one is only about half an inch thick and heaps more fun than an encyclopaedia. I have had as much fun looking at these pictures with my 34-year-old sister as my 9-year-old niece. I would love to go to the bar where one of the other reviewers encountered it - what a wonderful way to share the genius of this artist! This book is worthy of remaining in print forever. If you ever see one, grab it, because it makes a wonderful present (if you can bear to part with it).
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