RAINBOWZ

Stylized graphic depictions of rainbow-inspired objects and ideas from A to Z.

No one can accuse this abecedary of being staid! Applying massively saturated colors and playing with bold concepts, graphic designer Arndt takes plenty of artistic risks in his alphabetical choices. Some, like a gloriously checkered hot air Balloon soaring through the sky or flashy rainbow Sprinkles raining decadently onto a cupcake, work magnificently. Others, such as a funky character sporting a Mohawk or splotchy Ink blots may not be familiar enough to young readers to be meaningful. Some, like Aura or Disco, veer toward downright befuddling. His graphic stylings are vivid and eye-catching, with tight edges, zero shading, and lots of high contrast, but like his choice of objects, the illustrations can be hit or miss. A string of Lights have just enough shine around them to make them seem to glow, and an Oz page complete with rainbow and yellow brick road is eminently charming, but a Queen composed primarily of circles is oddly hard to visually read, as is a Cubist-inspired Unicorn. Ending with a rainbow- hued Zebra along with a question mark is mildly funny, but the joke probably misses the mark for the intended audience. Several pages have added holographic paper for extra pizzazz, especially on a glittery Wand.

Stylish and high-concept but ultimately uneven.