“A love letter to Canada’s most beloved band.”

What a fun book.

Every page has a letter, an accompanying Hip song title, and a fantastic drawing by four of Canada’s most renowned illustrators.

A is for Ahead by a Century (and I had a feverish dream)
B is for Bobcaygeon (where I saw the constellations)
C is for Courage (it couldn’t come at a worse time)

This is a perfect gift for any hardcore Hip fan, ‘though I think our kids are all too old for alphabet books. Give us a few years and we’ll be needing them for our grandkids.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for this nostalgic ARC.

I guess this book is cute if you're a really big fan of the Hip, but I was hoping there would be an aha moment when the book endeared itself to me. It just didn't come. Honestly, this feels like a book that diehard fans would buy for themselves or maybe their kids (but really themselves) and not much else. I really enjoyed the illustrations.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. A cute abc book by the band Tragically Hip. Cute illustrations and fun letter suggestions.

‘The Tragically Hip ABC’ by The Tragically Hip and Drew Macklin with art by Clayton Manmer, Julia Breckenreid, Monika Melnychuk and Bridget George is a picture book for fans of a beloved band in Canada.

Let’s face it. This is a book for grownups and not really for children. With entries like ‘A is for Ahead By A Century’ and ‘G is for Goodnight Attawapiskat,’ you can tell. Still it’s always fun to see how they will fill in the challenging letters like Q, X and Z.

If you are a fan of the band, and to get all of the quips, you will need to be, you will love it and feel a bit of nostalgia for The Hip. If you’ve never heard of the band, you might enjoy the strange song titles. The art by 4 different artists is clever and fun and would definitely appeal to kids of any age.

Book Review: The Tragically Hip ABC - A Must-Have for Hip Fans

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ stars

The Tragically Hip ABC is an absolute delight for fans of one of Canada's most beloved bands. This charming picture book takes readers on an alphabetical journey through the iconic songs of The Tragically Hip, capturing the essence of their music in a visually stunning and engaging way.

From the very first page, it is clear that this book is a labor of love. The illustrations, created by four renowned Canadian illustrators - Clayton Hanmer, Julia Breckenreid, Bridget George, and Monika Melnychuk - beautifully complement the titles of each song. The attention to detail and the artistic interpretation of the band's music is truly remarkable.

What sets this book apart is its ability to appeal to both long-time fans and new enthusiasts. For those who have been following The Tragically Hip for years, it offers a nostalgic trip down memory lane. Each page brings back memories of their favorite songs and the emotions that were evoked when listening to them. It's like revisiting a cherished part of their past.

On the other hand, for newcomers to the band's music, this book serves as a captivating introduction. The clever use of song titles as the starting point for each letter of the alphabet not only teaches children their ABCs but also sparks curiosity about the band's discography. It opens up a world of discovery and invites readers to explore the rich musical tapestry that The Tragically Hip has woven over the past four decades.

As a long-time fan, I was overjoyed to discover this gem of a book. It perfectly encapsulates the essence of the band's music - from the energetic "Ahead by a Century" to the melancholic "New Orleans is Sinking", making it an essential addition to any fan's collection. Moreover, with its stunning illustrations and clever concept, it has the potential to captivate new audiences, introducing them to the magic of this iconic band.

In conclusion, The Tragically Hip ABC is a must-have for any fan of The Tragically Hip. It beautifully combines the joy of learning the alphabet with the power of music, creating an experience that is both educational and emotionally resonant. Whether you're a die-hard fan or just starting your Tragically Hip journey, this book is a treasure that will bring joy and nostalgia to your heart.

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are my own opinions.

What a great way to learn the alphabet. The illustrations are adorable ( my favorites being N and O. Fun book for any hip loving adult or baby.

A lovingly illustrated tribute to a long-standing Canadian band, kids AND adults alike will love this ABC picture book that is a play on different things that pertain to the group The Tragically Hip. The illustrations [done by several Canadian illustrators] are fun and bright and colorful [and will make learning the ABC's for littles really fun] and I loved the way they portrayed the band in animal form.

Perfect for any "Hip" fan [of ANY age], this will make you laugh and tear up a little [RIP Gord] and bring back all the good memories one might have in their love of a great Canadian band.

Well done!!

Thank you to NetGalley, The Tragically Hip, Drew Macklin - Primary Contributor, Clayton Hanmer - Illustrator, Julia Breckenreid - Illustrator, Monika Melnychuk - Illustrator, Bridget George - Illustrator and Penguin Random House Canada/Tundra Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love this picture book. The illustrations are delightful, fun, whimsical. The text itself is simple, phrases taken from various Tragically Hip songs; the snipped phrases are familiar enough to please the adult reader but not so obscure that a young child will be confused. There's not much more to say as the book is just precious and perfect to me. I will be buying it for gifts!

I learned something new with this one! And isn’t that the best part about reading? It was such a great reflection of Canada’s music scene too!

A very interesting spin on the ABC's. We found it to be a great learning opportunity even for my seven year old. I didn't know all the words and had to look them up, this lead to a great discussion about how we are always learning and even once you learn how to read you won't know every word and it's means.

This is a book for a very specific audience - people who know the band the Tragically Hip! I think adults who are fans of the band would have a lot of fun reading this to a child or flipping through it themselves. I do not know this band, so I can't really say how well the illustrations match up to the song titles choices, but I think it's a very cute idea. The illustrations are fun and make me want to know more about the songs and the band! However, as someone who knows nothing about the Tragically Hip, I would not personally choose this book to read to kids. It could be a fun one to sit and look at the illustrations and make up stories about what is going on in each image, but not all the pictures seem related to the text without the background knowledge. It seems like a great book for the correct audience, I just don't happen to be one.

#NetGalley #TheTragicallyHipABC

For fans of The Tragically Hip, this is the children's book they have been waiting for! If you aren't familiar with all things Tragically Hip, it will be less than ideal. It was a fun twist on the ABC's, but more of a table top book, not a real alphabet book to share with littles or in a classroom.
The illustrations were fun and appropriate and many of the pages had humor and adults reading it would love the Tragically Hip fun included. Those who don't have a passion for the Tragically Hip will often be lost or find the book off kilter.
Regardless, it makes a fun table top book to start conversations!

Directly inspired by the music of The Tragically Hip, each page features a letter of the alphabet along with one of their song titles. As a Tragically Hip fan myself, I feel like I’m biased when I say this is a great book. For people who don’t know the music and for children, this would be the time for some musical education. The art was created by four Canadian artists, including First Nation author, Bridget George.

If I'm being honest...I did not get this book at all. I think it's really bizarre to present it as tragically hip and not deliver anything tragic or hip. Several of the words were difficult for me to pronounce. I can't imagine that they would resinate with a preschooler. The illustrations were pretty decent, and the prose wasn't awkward. All in all-I'm going to pass on this one.

While I don't have the knowledge of the band referenced in the book, I think this could be great in the classroom. I could read the book to students and then listen to some of the songs and have them find the connections. Then the students could make a book similar with one of their favorite artists. A book that leads to research and writing is always a win.

This was an amazing love letter to the tragically hip.

As a huge hip fan this brought tears to my eyes and allowed me to reminisce over the lyrics of some of my favorite songs.

This made it all the more sweet reading it to my kids. Loved it!

The illustrations are beautiful. I think I just don't have the musical context to enjoy the book that many may have. It may be a fun jumping off point for some musical investigation in a school setting though!

As a fan of the Tragically Hip, I enjoyed this clever alphabet book. However, the concept may be lost on littles or those unaware of the band and their history.

This was such a fun read that I highly recommend getting your hands on if you’re a @thetragicallyhip fan and want to teach kids about their amazing songs. I really enjoyed reading this with my daughter and having her listen to the songs that are explored in this book. This children’s book will be releasing on October 24th. Thank you @netgalley and @penguinrandomca for allowing my daughter and I to enjoy this fun read in advance ☺️

Much like The Hip, this sweet read is Ahead By a Century. Reading along with my littles (7 and 5) there was whimsy and pure nostalgia, both in the wording and the artworks.

There is an inclusive team of creators who worked on this book and it is going to be a treasure on our family bookshelf.

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada and Tundra Books for the eArc copy in exchange for an honest review.