The Alphabet Menagerie

One Saturday afternoon in the spring of 2016, on a lark, Neil scribbled out a few whimsical verses for Miss Hannah and Miss Leah to use in introducing the alphabet to their young students. He played with his little creations over the next couple of weeks, until he had something resembling the offspring of an asylum and a zoo. (You see what I did there.)From that egg, The Alphabet Menagerie eventually hatched.It was not originally intended for publication, but Miss Hannah and Miss Leah insisted. And since Miss Hannah and Miss Leah (in addition to being sisters) are very insistent IN-sisters, Daddy finally relented, and here it is for you.Neil lives in Alexandria, Louisiana, with his wife Julie, cats Opie, Lucy, Joey, and Penelope, along with Miss Hannah's dog Petey, and in close proximity to Miss Hannah and Miss Leah. All of these contented organisms help take care of Neil's mother, Nancy, who specializes in reading, newspaper clipping, and advanced cat-lappery.In both 2015 and 2016, J. Neil Barham was unanimously voted World's Okayest Dad by his children. He is the only member of the Barham family ever to receive this honor twice consecutively. J. Neil Barham is the father of three grown children: one computer genius and two preschool teachers. The computer genius is off in the Navy far away, but the two preschool teachers live close enough to provide their father with an endless stream of creative inspiration. Dinner conversation pulses with giggle-stuffed narratives of classroom events, and every week brings new adventures from Miss Hannah and Miss Leah's Wild World of Toddlers.