Alice and Andy: A Rhyming Alphabet

When Gail Shaw was three she picked up her cat, gathered some words, put on a big hat. Starting with little words, she soon added big ones, Playing with rhyming words and zig-zaggy-zig ones. The words were like music--and she grew and she sang Until she was grown up, with yin and with yang. She married, had children, and moved more than twice And thought now and then that a poem would be nice— A silly poem, one with a sister and brother who might live on their own without father and mother. They’d have some adventures. Perhaps an odd aunt? And maybe some big words that children could flaunt! She wrote it all out, called it “Alice & Andy,” And put it away in a box that was handy. It stayed in that box for some 45 years Until one day she found it and cried happy tears. Her children have children and Gail’s now quite old (approaching her 80th birthday, I’m told!) Her last name’s now Burlakoff, and she’s still three inside with the music of words and their rhythm, her guide. She still plays with words and carries a cat But lost the big hat long ago. And that’s that! Thanks to so many, both family and friends, Alice and Andy have come to good ends. Eduardo and Deborah’s great illustrations capture the spirit. My congratulations! This is my gift to you and your gift to me And I am as happy as happy can be!

Gail Shaw Burlakoff has loved and played with words since she was a very small girl. Without the alphabet, she would be in a pickle! (How do you get in a pickle, anyway?) Rhyme and rhythm and the magic of words in several languages are part of who she is, and she loves to share them with others, especially with children. As a child she played word games with her family and friends. She continued to do so with her children and with her grandchildren, when they were little and when she saw them. For many years she was Ms Gail, a children's story time lady at two public libraries in Westchester County, New York. She and the children had fun together with words and songs and lots of laughter. Gail is happy to have Alice & Andy become "real" children, as Pinocchio became a real boy. She loves Deborah Gillespie's drawings and Eduardo Barrios's bright colors and is particularly fond of Ugly Aunt Una! Her first book, "Blue Heron Woman: Poems," a memoir, is available from Amazon.