''The Z Was Zapped'' () is a picture book written by the American author

Chris Van Allsburg Chris Van Allsburg (born June 18, 1949) is an American writer and illustrator of children's books. He has won two Caldecott Medals for U.S. picture book illustration, for ''Jumanji'' (1981) and '' The Polar Express'' (1985), both of which he al ...

originally published in 1987 by

Houghton Mifflin The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a heraldic star. Computer scientists and mathematicians often vocalize it as ...

. The book tells the story "in 26 acts", each showing how each letter in the alphabet caught some bad luck. The artwork has a stark look by using black and white pencil drawings. Each destruction of the letters take place on a

proscenium A proscenium (, ) is the virtual vertical plane of space in a theatre, usually surrounded on the top and sides by a physical proscenium arch (whether or not truly "arched") and on the bottom by the stage floor itself, which serves as the frame ...

theater stage. Examples: * The A was in an avalanche. * The B was badly bitten. * The C was cut to ribbons. * The Z was zapped.

References

1987 children's books American picture books Alphabet books Picture books by Chris Van Allsburg Houghton Mifflin books {{edu-book-stub acquisition-stub