In a Word

April 1, 2004
Gr 5-9-Spanning a broad range of topics, this collection of word origins informs and entertains readers. Organized into 16 chapters with catchy titles such as "Military Madness," "Glorious Gizmos & Great Grub," and "Tantalizing Tidbits," the concise entries are both relevant and thoughtful. "Exceptional Expressions" is a particularly fun chapter for browsing, as it offers historical context and origins of commonly used phrases such as "baker's dozen," "chew the fat," and "go berserk." Amusing black-and-white drawings and bits of pertinent trivia appear throughout. Younger students who are still developing their vocabulary and cultural knowledge may find some of the explanations a bit esoteric, but generally comprehensible. One minor drawback is that pronunciations are located in the index instead of with the actual entry, which can be a bit cumbersome. More accessible, but less comprehensive than The Facts On File Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins (Facts On File, 1997), this is a solid choice for librarians wanting to update their English language collections.-Jody Kopple, Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA

Copyright 2004 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2004
Gr. 4-8. Drawn from Cobblestone magazine's monthly column, "Calliope," the entries in this book discuss the meanings and derivations of 750 words and phrases. The arrangement is topical, with broad subject categories such as archaeology, clothing, or the military. One chapter features expressions such as "beyond the pale" and "slush fund," and another explains foreign words and phrases such as " chutzpah" and " lais"sez faire. A typical page includes several entries explained in single-paragraph discussions. While exploring word origins, Baker also touches on interesting facets of European history and Greek mythology. The jaunty illustrations are reproduced in black and shades of gray. A chart on the last double-page spread illustrates the branches of Indo-European languages. Best read in small sections or used for reference, this informative book fosters an appreciation for the richness of the English language.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)