The Great Dictionary Caper

Starred review from October 23, 2017
Bored with sitting in a dictionary “day in, day out,” the words make a break for it and organize a parade—which lets Sierra (Wild About You!) and Comstock (the Charlie Piechart series) introduce linguistics terminology in just about the most playful way possible. Onomatopoeic terms form a marching band (the c and g in “clang” turn into arms that crash cymbals together). The action verbs are appropriately kinetic—“somersault” turns itself into one—but the “no-action contractions,” in phrases like “He couldn’t” and “She won’t,” need some nudging. Homophones march “two by two and three by three,” depending on the sound. It’s all lexicographical fun and games, but eventually Noah Webster himself herds the words back between the dictionary covers. Working in a limited palette of orange, olive, and pale blue, Comstock brings the words to vivid anthropomorphic life while visually underscoring each concept (the letters in “please” gaze at readers through eager, beseeching eyes—eyes that close tight after the letters rearrange themselves into their anagram, “asleep”). It’s the very definition of wordplay. Ages 4–8. Illustrator’s agent: Lori Nowicki, Painted Words.

December 1, 2017

PreS-Gr 1-With a "Ready Set Go," all the words in Webster's Dictionary jump out to take a break and join in a parade. Led by the grand marshal "I," each spread introduces readers to a new group of personified words. Even though the nature of homophones, palindromes, antonyms, and the rest is made fairly clear through the use of examples, younger children may need some guidance; terms are only explained in a glossary, and some uncommon words may cause consternation when seeing and sounding them out for the first time (onomatopoeia is one of the hardest). Space and a limited palette of orange, blue, green, black, and white differentiate paired words from others. Scribbles decorate, and often "define" these words. The most common decoration to be found are the faces usually drawn on every letter. It can be a bit distracting, however, and while the text is readable, the nonsensical narrative is completely forgettable. VERDICT An amusing introduction to the intricacies and oddities of the English language; with some guidance, young elementary students might actually learn a thing a two.-Rachel Forbes, Oakville Public Library, Ont.

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from December 1, 2017
Grades K-3 *Starred Review* Words can get bored. They sit in the dictionary, day in, day out, begins this delightful picture book from Sierra (Wild about Books, 2004), depicting what happens when dictionary words break free from their pages and have a parade. It's all fun and word games, but in the process, readers will also get a tidy lesson in linguistic concepts, like onomatopoeia and contractions. Each concept is exemplified and playfully portrayed by animated, anthropomorphized words and their accoutrements. The onomatopoeia marching band leads the way, and features words like bang, clang, and honk. Subsequent spreads include action verbs (with a spinning spin and gliding glide); homophones; anagrams; rhyming words; and even indignant nonrhyming words, which hold protest signs (penguin's reads What's so special about rhyming? ). Eventually, Noah Webster appears, instructing the words to return to the dictionaryhowever, turn the page and it seems Roget's Thesaurus' synonym words are looking to escape, too (skedaddle, decamp). While not explicitly defining concepts in the main text (that comes in an appended glossary), this is a charming, peppy introduction, enhanced by Comstock's energetic, retro-flair illustrations, which fill the pages with cavorting words and creative details, like the Hollyword setting. In approach and format, this is both entertaining and educationallikely to hold and pique kids' interest in the topic and provide a fun learning supplement.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

Starred review from November 1, 2017
Help! All of the words in Noah Webster's dictionary are bored, so they make a break for it and the word parade begins. Welcome to Hollyword, land of anthropomorphic words. The self-centered I is the grand marshal, together with the 34-letter "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" (hyphenated three times to fit on the page). "The action verbs LOVE to show off" (there are "bounce," "spin," "ricochet," and "jump," among others). The "no-action contractions NEED SOME HELP," as they're a pretty defeatist bunch: "he couldn't," "she won't," "we didn't." Homophones tango by twos and threes, and "archaic words strut their SHAKESPEARE" with yummy entries such as "Garboil," "Pismire," "Sackbut," and "Yerk." (A closing glossary helps with these and other unfamiliar words.) Anagrams, antonyms, palindromes, rhyming words, conjunctions, and interjections also each have a double-page spread, the lively letters acting out the definitions. The palette of the digital illustrations uses orange, turquoise, and olive green to highlight the actions. Eye dots, smile lines, and wiggly arms and legs animate the letters. Exuberant and energetic design enlivens the letters as they bounce and frolic across the pages, minimalist compositions adding occasional details to amp up the fun: a crocodile-green "Nile" floats down a river; the A in "READ" holds open a book for its neighboring letters to enjoy.Teachers will have field day with this wordplay; this caper is clever, capricious, and cunning. (Picture book. 6-10)

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