 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Boy Who Loved Words
- By Roni Schotter
- Genre: Picture Book
Common Sense Media says
Word-loving boy spreads the wealth. K-4.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that there's nothing to be concerned about, and much to be learned, in this introduction to the joy of words.
What's the story?
Selig loves words -- the sound, taste, thought, and feel of them. He collects them on slips of paper and stuffs his pockets full of them. His parents worry about him. His classmates make fun of him. He begins to feel lonely.
One night a genie appears to him in a dream and tells him that he has a passion, but needs a purpose. So Selig leaves home, traveling through the country like Johnny Appleseed, collecting words and distributing them to those who need them. Includes glossary on endpapers.
Is it any good?
For kids who love words, and for parents and teachers who want to get them interested in words, this is a treat. Both text and pictures are filled with wonderful words, some long, some short, but all fun to find and use. The words in the text are included in a glossary, but many of the words in the pictures are not, so their meanings will need to be tracked down.
There are a few false steps. For example, the genie has a Brooklyn Yiddish accent for no discernible reason other than confusing the reader. The modernist illustrations at first seem rather stilted, but they stay in the mind and, as they are filled with words, they encourage and reward close inspection. This is a delightful book to spark or encourage a love of words, and to inspire family and class activities.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about words. What makes some words so much fun? How does knowing a lot of words help? What are some of your favorite words? Together you can learn the words in the book's glossary and try using them in everyday life whenever you can. How about starting your own collections of wonderful words?
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| Author: | Roni Schotter |
| Illustrator: | Giselle Potter |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Picture Book |
| Publisher: | Random House |
| Publication date: | July 17, 2006 |
| Number of pages: | 35 |
| Hardcover price: | $16.95 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 4 - 7 |
| Read aloud: | 5 |
| Read alone: | 7 |
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