WORD UP!
by Raven Howell ; illustrated by Joe Rocco
Howell explores the wild world of words and their meanings in this picture book.
Words can do any number of things: they can heal, they can hurt, they can describe sounds, they can ask questions, and they can even entertain. Howell reminds readers that, “Words are mighty, words are strong. We write them, speak them, sing our song! I hope you learn new words today and think about the ones you say.” The text presents a list of big words sure to improve readers’ vocabulary, covering emotions like frustration, anger, and excitement as well as everyday topics like transportation and the weather. The book is divided into sections of about three words each. Each term is paired with one of Rocco’s bold and colorful illustrations, which truly carry the book by demonstrating their meanings fairly clearly. (Certain entries, like “diesel” and “humid,” may require further explanations from an adult reader, as a child may not be able to infer their entire meanings from pictures of a train or a beach.) Despite the emphasis at the beginning and the end of the text on the importance of using your words wisely, there is no clear trajectory in the pages that carries this intended moral. This volume may best be suited to a classroom setting, as a supplement to a vocabulary-related assignment.
An entertaining introduction to bigger words that could use a stronger structure.