Tasha Does Tulsa.

At the risk of earning a resounding, “DUH!” from all you thoughtful, dead-sexy readers out there, I’d like to say that both research and experience will prove that kids learn stuff from books.

Kids also learn a lot from the environment around them. Imagine what would happen if some clever person came up with a holiday gift that managed to combine the two.

Well, looky there – ABC in Tulsa, a book that teaches the alphabet in the context of a Tulsa kid’s environment. Our tired imaginations can take a breather.

ABC in Tulsa is written and photographed by Robin Segal, but it also features the input of several hundred Tulsa elementary school students. They thought of words for the book and colors for the cover. Cool, huh?

The book is one in the Murray Hill Books series, All ‘Bout Cities. The books aim to celebrate and teach children about the wonders of, well, cities.

If B isn’t for barbeque beef brisket, then I’m going to have to start taking better care of my teeth. We Tulsans know that the twilight of life doesn’t have to be about saltless mashed potatoes and prune juice. That’s what barbeque beef brisket is for – teeth need retirement plans, too.

Here’s a little snippet from the back cover of ABC in Tulsa: “Finally, an alphabet book for Tulsans, for the kids who grow up here and point to flags and fire engines from their strollers, and for the out-of-town kids and their parents who visit.”

More gold from the back cover: “This book is also for all those slightly older kids, parked and rushing and jostling in the street, who see the objects and people in this book, day after day, and who recognize and value the small objects and ordinary people that, taken together, are the ABC of Tulsa.”

Look! X is for Xanthus Place. Good thinkin’, Segal. Just off the top of my head, I can’t think of another Tulsa X word. Can you think of any, my thoughtful, dead-sexy readers?

Give the child in your life the gift of books this Christmas. ABC in Tulsa would be a great place to start. Not only does this book hold the promise of nap times spent snuggled and pointing out the photos together, but it could also serve as a tool to teach a child about the city in which he or she lives.

If our youth don’t bother to learn about our city, after all, who will? An knowledgeable and passionate youth will always be the beginning of a better Tulsa.

ABC in Tulsa
Available at Steve’s Sundry, Books and Magazines
2612 S. Harvard Ave.
(918) 743-3544
$12.95

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