W is for Winnipeg
A Little Architect's ABC
W is for Winnipeg is a dynamic and inviting picture book tour through the city’s significant sites.
Rae St. Clair Bridgman’s fun and educational picture book W is for Winnipeg covers significant landmarks in Winnipeg’s built environment.
In this charming picture book, each letter of the alphabet is matched with a Winnipeg building. These matches are elaborated on in rhyming captions that embellish and describe unique features of the buildings: the Human Rights Museum is for hope and freedom; Qaumajuq, the Inuit art museum, is about Canada’s northernmost reaches. Opposite these brief descriptions, circular illustrations depict the building, the environment around the building, and the atmosphere of the place in beautiful, hand-drawn pastel colors.
The balance of imagery and color with sparse five- to ten-word descriptions makes the main section of this book an eminent example of how to use space on the page in a way that is both dynamic and inviting. The use of colors in the text to highlight the letter of the alphabet being referenced draws attention to that letter in each word of the descriptions, complementing the illustrations.
Since the book uses the figure of an owl as the lens through which to look at each building (many illustrations have an owl hidden in them), the appendix contains a brief on owls, different names for the animals in different languages, and descriptions of their various species. This work is followed by a second appendix with an overview of each building named in the book. Short paragraphs describe the architects who built them, analyze their designs, and delve into a story or two about the construction. Fluid prose makes these sections accessible and a convenient way to engage with the ABCs of the book at a deeper level.
A delightful romp through significant Winnipeg landmarks, the rhyming picture book W is for Winnipeg strikes a balance between educational utility and tasteful design.
Reviewed by
Willem Marx
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
