V Is for Von Trapp: A Musical Family Alphabet is a new addition to the alphabet series of books by Sleeping Bear Press. Our family has several of these books in our library, and they are always a pleasure to read. V Is for Von Trapp is certainly no exception. Author William Anderson's text is combined with the beautiful color illustrations of Linda Dockey Graves; all is collected into a quality hardbound book with dust jacket, making this a book you'll want to keep in your family for years.

For each letter of the alphabet, you'll find a short, four-line poem about the Von Trapp family. For example, for the letter "F" we find these words: "F is for Family of Singers, Sopranos, altos, a tenor, a bass joined in daily sing-alongs. Villa Trapp was filled with songs!" In addition to the catchy verses, each letter also features an illustration. But my personal favorite part is the more in-depth informational sections that tell us much more about the Von Trapps. Some of them even include personal quotes from members of the family! Because of the versatility of these books, you can share them with children of all ages. Little ones will enjoy the pretty pictures and the short poems, while older children (and even adults) will richly benefit from the informational sections.

Another feature in this book that I really appreciate is the introduction page, which contains the Von Trapp family tree. The introduction states that many of the events in The Sound of Music (the movie based on the Von Trapps) are based on things that actually happened, such as their escape from Austria in the late 1930s.

This book retails for $16.95 and can be purchased online from the company's website, as well as at various bookstores. I think these books are well worth the cost. V Is for Von Trapp would be an excellent addition to any homeschooler's library, and it would also make a great gift (especially for a fan of The Sound of Music).

Downloadable Teacher's Guides are available on the company's website, and they contain fun supplemental material to be used alongside the book. These guides are printable and cover various areas of education, such as math, language arts, and music. Every busy teacher will be pleased to see the answer key included in the back!

Product review by Heidi Strawser, Special Projects Manager, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, February 2011