A is for Audra: Broadway's Leading Ladies from A to Z by John Robert Allman, Peter Emmerich
Published by Doubleday Books for Young Readers on November 12, 2019
ISBN: 0525645403
Pages: 48
Genres: Biography/Autobiography
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads

Hello, Dolly! Is this a great collection of some of the most talented leading ladies to hit Broadway over the years. Sometimes the actress’s first name is used for the alphabet letter, sometimes the last name, and sometimes it’s a character that multiple women have played. (such as Dolly in Hello, Dolly!) One instance (Z), does take a letter from the middle of a name so we end with Liza Minnelli. I love Emmerich’s illustrations, which often use props and the most famous costumes from stage productions. There are two men mentioned, Bob Fosse and Stephen Sondheim. Part of me wishes they had stuck to only women, but I also appreciated the roles highlighted, so that’s a bit of a mixed bag.

This is likely not a book you will read during storytime to teach the alphabet, but would be better with older children who are interested in musical theater or by parents who want to share their love with their children. Short biographies of each featured performer are included at the end. The target audience is likely ages 7-12.

Reviewed by Samantha Cote, Windham Public Library, Windham