The Alpha Beta Book

Can Ancient Greek be introduced with levity and whimsy? Author Keith McCrary has introduced hundreds of children and adults to Ancient Greek for over thirty years at Waldorf schools in the United States, Japan and Mexico. Follow the directions for learning to say the Greek alphabet, and he will have you speaking it it in different rhythms, in a series of accents, including Texan! – and even singing it.

Included are pictographs for the letters of the Greek alphabet and ample opportunities to learn about many Greek words that have English “cousins.” Besides learning to count to twenty, you can recite the first lines of Homer’s Odyssey, some well-known philosophical sayings, and much more, plus learn a little history along the way.

You can be amused while learning some Ancient Greek and, perhaps if you pay close attention, you’ll even be amazed. After reading this little book, you may well understand a good bit more than you had before because it IS Greek to you.

This is an excellent introduction for anyone interested in learning about language. The illustrations lift the words off the page and into the imagination. I recommend it for classrooms, homes and a place on your bookshelf.
-- Paul R. Brown, Maui District School Superintendent, ret.

CD is included:
Audio lessons to accompany the material in the book:
Introduction: “Go with me to a distant land…”
Learning the Greek alphabet (and singing it to the traditional alphabet song)
Counting from 1 to 20
Philosophical sayings and excerpts from literature: Homer’s The Odyssey, the Prayer to Zeus (recited at the opening of the fifth grade pentathlon), first lines of The Gospel of John
with musical interludes and a farewell
Run time: approx 40 minutes

Waldorf Publications
Softbound
ISBN #: 978-1-936367-41-2
64 pages
6.75 x 9