By Laurie Hertzel

We've all done it -- killed time in typing class by making pictures on the typewriter. But only Sharon Werner and Sarah Forss were clever enough to turn that time-waster into a work of art. Their new book, "Alphabeasties," is a combination ABC book and animal book. A's typed over and over to make an alligator. B's typed in a swoopy, fluttering way to make bats. All in different typographic fonts. It's a gorgeous picture book that also demonstrates how different designs bring different sensibilities to the page. ("This A is arched and looks like an alien. A lowercase a can wear a little hood.")

Werner and Forss run the two-person Werner Design Werks in St. Paul. "Alphabeasties" was published by Blue Apple Books of Maplewood, N.J., which specializes in high-quality children's books.

Also ...

• Stephen Wilbers' collection of poetry, "This Northern Nonsense: Ernest Oberholtzer and Mallard Island," has been published by Red Dragonfly Press. Proceeds from the book will be donated to the Oberholtzer Foundation, which is dedicated to conservation, particularly of northern Minnesota's Rainy Lake islands and watershed. Wilbers' columns on business writing have appeared in the Star Tribune since 1991.

• Twin Cities writer Emily Freeman has a story in the anthology "Best New American Voices: Fresh Fiction From the Top Writing Programs 2010." Freeman recently earned an MFA from the University of Minnesota and teaches at the Loft Literary Center.

• This week's Literary Scavenger Hunt question: Most of Alison McGhee's Julia Gillian stories take place in which Twin Cities neighborhood? This week's bookstores: Minnesota Center for Book Arts, 1011 Washington Av. S., Mpls., and Wild Rumpus, 2720 W. 43rd St., Mpls. More information: twincitieslit.wordpress.com.

• It's the book for everyone! "I Love Brett Favre," by Ross Bernstein, flips over to "I Hate Brett Favre" (also by Ross Bernstein). It was recently published by Triumph Books.

• Laura Childs' latest Cackleberry Club mystery, "Eggs Benedict Arnold," has been published by Berkley. Childs -- aka Gerry Schmitt -- will have a party at noon Saturday at Once Upon a Crime bookstore, 604 W. 26th St., Mpls., and will sign books at noon Dec. 12 at Borders Books in Minnetonka, 1501 Plymouth Road. And -- get this -- Schmitt is giving away a chicken for each copy of the book sold through Saturday. You don't get the chicken; Heifer International gets the chicken. It's a nonprofit that donates farm animals to needy families around the world.

• University of Minnesota associate professor Monika Zagar's book, "Knut Hamsun: The Dark Side of Literary Brilliance," has been published by the University of Washington Press. She will read and sign books at 4 p.m. Wednesday at the University of Minnesota Bookstore, 300 Washington Av. SE., Mpls.