words

WordWorld: Welcome to WordWorld
$14.99
I have a 7 year old and 4 year old. The 7 year old has only watched it twice but the 4 year old seems to like it pretty well. Glad I bought it, but not sure I will buy any more from WordWorld will probably try something different. All in all I think it is pretty good for preschoolers.

Anonyponymous: The Forgotten People Behind Everyday Words
$18.00
Warning: this book was obtained through the librarything early reviewers program and thus might represent an ARC which could be slightly different book than the final version.

"Anonyponymous: The Forgotten People Behind Everyday Words" is written by John Marciano who is perhaps best known for being an author in the children's series "Madeline". This, his latest work, is a very easy to read book, most suitable for "word geeks," literature lovers, linguistics students, students of the history of the English language, or anyone who is a fan of trivia.

This book covers the origin of several words that are commonplace in the English language, but originally owed their start to being part of someone's name. Most people are aware of the Earl of Sandwich and his relationship to the food that bears his name, Mr. Crapper and his relationship to the toilet, and the word sadism as coming from Marquis de Sade. What about the pair of pants you are wearing? The word "pants" (originally Pantaloon) were named for Pantaleon, a physician. Shrapnel was named for Henry Shrapnel, the inventor of an exploding cannonball. You can read more about the origin of these words and many more by reading this book.

"Anonyponymous" is an entertaining read, although rather short, and is about the perfect size as a "stocking stuffer" for the holiday season or as a "grab bag" gift. If I had not obtained it as a reviewer, I would have unlikely purchased the book at it's list price which I feel to be too high for the size of the book. I suspect this will eventually find it's place in the bargain bin within the next year or so.

Every Word Has Power: Switch on Your Language and Turn on Your Life
$14.95
This book is amazing! It has truly changed my perceptions on happiness and success. I carry it with me in my purse. It's that good!

The Boy Who Loved Words
$16.95
I adore this book. I am a 4th grade teacher, and I read this book to my class. They were intrigued with the variety of words presented. The author offers a glossary for a greater understanding of the words. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to read or teaches writing.