The Picky Letter A

by Daniel Errico

Illustrated by Michiko Cayce

The Picky Letter A is always changing things around because she's so picky. When she decides to throw a dinner party for all her friends, she soon finds what it's like to deal with picky letters herself! The Picky Letter A deals with learning appreciation. 

The Picky Letter A Cover. The Picky Letter A, smiling, with a rainbow-colored wall behind her.

The Letter A lived in the Land of Words.

She was very picky about everything.

She was very fancy and had to make sure that everything she had was the best.

When she bought shoes, she tried on every pair in the store.

When she went for ice cream, it took her three hours to pick a flavor.

And when she did, she spit it out for being too cold.

The Letter A, smiling at an ice cream truck, holding an ice pop.

She had her house painted 12 different colors before finally picking “rainbow”.

It seemed like nothing was quite good enough for the Letter A.

The Letter A, smiling, with a rainbow-colored wall behind her.

One day she decided to have a dinner party.

She would invite all her friends and show them a wonderful and fancy evening.

She sent out the invitations on the fanciest paper that she could find.

The Letter A at a table, smiling as she works on fancy invitations.

When the other letters started to arrive, they noticed some problems.

“I need a chair with two cushions,” said the Letter W.

“I like my food cold,” said the Letter Z.

“I want to eat outside,” said the Letter B.

The Letter A ran around trying to fix all the problems.

She brought an extra pillow for the Letter W’s chair.

She stuck the Letter Z’s food in the freezer for a minute.

She moved the entire table outside for Letter B.

The Letter A is tending to her friends, the Letters B, Z, and W, at a table outside.



“I want to hear music,” said the Letter M.

“I need three plates,” said the Letter I.

“I want my dessert now,” said the Letter Q.

The Letter A couldn’t believe how picky everyone was being.

The Letter A looking distressed.

She played some music on her flute for the Letter M.

She found three extra plates in her cupboard and made extra food for the Letter I.

She made the dessert and brought it out before she even had time to eat her own food (it didn’t matter because the Letter I had eaten it anyway).

She was very tired and hungry from all her work.

All she had left to eat was a small piece of bread. 

Every bite of it was delicious, and for the first time, Letter A wasn’t picky at all.


The Letter A, smiling, sitting at an empty table except for a single piece of bread in front of her.

In the Land of Words, the happiest letters are those who are happy with what they have.