The plot begins to thicken when the characters of Sesame Street recognize the ridiculousness of the numerical system and science.

The makers of “Sesame Street” recognize children’s intense desire to digest as much critical knowledge of the world as they can get their unwashed hands on. So they have produced this commodity to provoke radical thought, rebellion and misguided angst into the minds of the 5-17 age bracket.

Learning about words and numbers is absurdly enjoyable when it’s presented by the likes of Ernie, Oscar the Grouch and Mr. Hooper. And here each letter and number in this book is represented by an aesthetically pleasing story.

For example, the letter “C” stands for “Cookie,” which the Cookie Monster selfishly shows is good enough for him. With the letter “R,” Ernie displays his love for an inanimate “Rubber” object that brings him a tremendous amount of misguided and downright disturbing happiness.

“G” equals humanity’s “Garbage,” which Oscar the Grouch loves to dwell in, much like a maggot or a rat. The letter “C” stands for “Carrier pigeon,” or endangered bird “Carcass,” depending on how the reader interprets Bert’s philosophical rant on animal extinction.

This book gains radical momentum as the pages turn and you get further ahead on the alphabet. For example, Grover believes the letter “O” to be derivative of “Omnipotence,” and through linguistically deplorable state of the union addresses displays a god-like influence over the people of Sesame Street, who lack the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves.

The plot begins to thicken when the characters of Sesame Street recognize the ridiculousness of the numerical system and science.

“Why have you forsaken me one time God?” shrieks The Count. “Why have you forsaken me two times? Why have you forsaken me three times?”

But it isn’t until the letter “U,” when Kermit or Blinker, or whatever his name is, recites a gripping tale of the social “Utility” fulfilled by detaining prisoners at Guantanamo Bay without the possibility of a trial that the book really reinforces the concept of the fun one can have through learning our arbitrary numerical system.

As well as the only language most Americans will ever be capable of butchering on a day-to-day basis.

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