Gulf Islands Alphabet - by Bronwyn Preece (Paperback)

About the Book

Now available in paperback, this gorgeous alphabet book highlights the natural beauty of the Gulf Islands of British Columbia, Canada.

Book Synopsis

This gorgeous picture book is now available in paperback! Gulf Islands Alphabet flows from letter to letter, island to island, blending the charms, natural beauty, character and values of this unique corner of the world. The inviting language and compelling illustrations take children and adults alike on an island-hopping journey through the south-western corner of British Columbia, Canada.

Delight as day dawns over the islands of DeCourcy, Discovery, and D'Arcy, or hike on over towards hide-away havens and heritage homesteads on isolated islets. Scan the ocean for orcas and octopi, oysters and otters while behind you raucous ravens raise a racket. The beautiful islands in the Salish Sea are explored in an enchanting manner and can be enjoyed whether you are in a cabin cradled in a cove, or on a boat that basks in the bay, a local or a visitor to this Pacific paradise.

Review Quotes

Praise for the hardcover edition of Gulf Islands Alphabet:

"The beautiful and numerous Gulf Islands, lying between the eastern coast of Vancouver Island and mainland B.C., lend themselves well to this richly illustrated alphabet book. Resonant names such as Penelakut, Gabriola, and Salt Spring, arising from the histories of First Nations traditions, Spanish exploration, and English settlement, provide author Bronwyn Preece with an island for almost every letter of the alphabet...Readers of all ages will delight in Alex Walton's lush watercolour illustrations. The double-page spreads give a vivid sense of the islands' land- and seascapes. Walton varies his scenes by employing unusual perspectives: we view islands through the curving frame of a ferry's deck, look down on them from the height of an eagle's nest, and gaze at them through ferns and boulders on the forest floor. On some pages we are underwater with jellyfish and kelp, looking up at children in a rowboat. The paintings are full of action, as boys leap into the sea off the Gabriola Galleries or sail a dinghy through the surging water of a narrows. Although this alphabet book celebrates a particular Canadian locale, readers anywhere will take pleasure in the colourful names and landscapes depicted in it."
Quill & Quire

"For sheer beauty of presentation, Gulf Islands Alphabet by B.C.'s Bronwyn Preece (Simply Read/Raincoast Books, 56 pages, $20 hardcover) gets full marks. The letters of the alphabet reflect the names and unique qualities of these islands off Canada's West Coast."
Winnipeg Free Press

"I personally think there are far too many boring and mundane alphabet books out there that dumb down language and are not challenging enough for children. I appreciate how the writer does not restrict herself to using nouns to demonstrate letters of the alphabet, but also uses descriptive adjectives, verbs, adverbs, etc. It's lyrical, beautifully illustrated, and the 'alphabet book' is also a Gulf Islands narrative...one that flows through each letter of the alphabet."
Books My Boys Love blog

About the Author

Bronwyn Preece lives on the off-the-grid island of Lasqueti, BC. As an Applied Theatre practitioner and author, she focuses on fostering meaningful social and ecological dialogue through the arts. She was the youngest woman ever elected to the Islands Trust local government, serving two consecutive terms. Gulf Islands Alphabet was written while overlooking the Strait of Georgia, in a cabin run on solar and water-power. For more information on Bronwyn and the workshops she offers, visit: www.bronwynpreece.com.

Alex Walton was born in Jamaica, moved to England, then finally settled in British Columbia, Canada. Here, he learned to appreciate nature and the outdoors, which he often brings into his paintings. He studied art, earned a degree in Natural Resource Management, and has illustrated a number of children's books. For more information, visit www.waltonillustrations.com.