A Chartreuse Leotard in a Magenta Limosine: And Other Words After People & Places [Hardcover]

Lynda Graham-Barber (Author), Barbara Lehman (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up

A compilation of eponyms and toponyms, words derived from the names of people or places, includes histories of everyday words with unusual sources.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6?Etymology is not usually thought of as an exciting topic for children, but Graham-Barber has worked magic and presents it in an amusing, informative, and accessible format. The introduction clearly explains the differences between toponyms and eponyms and why it is fun to learn about where words in everyday use come from and how they have been changed. Entries, such as suede, fudge, jeep, and ocean, to name just a few, are presented in separate paragraphs with icons (a person or a globe) to indicate a toponym or an eponym. The explanations are fascinating and are given in logical progression. The smooth layout; simple illustrations in black, red, and white; and humorous tone add to the appeal of this book, which is much easier to read than Janet Klausner's Talk About English (HarperCollins, 1990). Especially useful in creative writing, history, and geography classes, this is also a great selection for booktalking.?Joan Soulliere, Wenham Public Library, MA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Lynda Graham-Barber

Books:

The Animals’ Winter Sleep.?? Illus. Nancy Carol Willis. Birdsong Books, 2008. ??

Spy Hops and Belly Flops.?? Illus. Brian Lies. Houghton Mifflin, 2004. ??

Say Boo!?? Illus. Barbara Lehman. Candlewick Press, 1997.

A Chartreuse Leotard in a Magenta Limousine. Illus. Barbara Lehman. Hyperion, 1995.

Toad or Frog? Swamp or Bog??? Illus. Alec Gilman. Simon & Schuster, 1994.??

Ho! Ho! Ho! ?? Illus. Betsy Lewin. Bradbury Press, 1994.

Doodle Dandy!?? Illus. Betsy Lewin. Bradbury Press, 1992.??

Gobble!?? Illus. Betsy Lewin. Bradbury Press, 1991.

Mushy!?? Illus. Betsy Lewin. Bradbury Press, 1991.

Personality Decorating.?? Fawcett Columbine, 1986.

The Kit Furniture Book.?? Pantheon Books, 1983.

Flat Fish, Round Fish and Other Animal Changes.?? Illus. Pamela Carroll. Crown, 1982.

Who Lives Inside??? Illus. Ray Barber. Grosset & Dunlap, 1976.??

Book Awards and Distinctions:

~”Main Selection” Literary Guild

~Avon paperbacks

~Runner-up “New Jersey Kids’ Pick”

~American Book Sellers “Pick”??

~People Magazine??”Pick”

~”Book of the Month” National Wildlife Federation;

~”50 Best Books” American Institute of Graphic Artists

~Scholastic Book Clubs

~Delaware Diamonds Booklist 2009-2010.

Curriculum Vitae: ??

NYC editorial: Morrow Jr. Books; Crown; Harcourt; Holt, Rinehart; Western.

Faculty, Institute of Children’s Literature, W. Redding, CT.??

MFA Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults, Vermont College, Montpelier, VT.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 80 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion (May 16, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786820020
• ISBN-13: 978-0786820023
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,981,556 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Resource, June 18, 2000

By 

Frank Murphy - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Chartreuse Leotard in a Magenta Limosine: And Other Words After People & Places (Hardcover)

A great resource for classrooms! Studying word origins can be amazingly fun! This book is the perfect resource!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A perfect way to draw kids into non-fiction, April 1, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: A Chartreuse Leotard in a Magenta Limosine: And Other Words After People & Places (Hardcover)

This is a splendid gift idea for curious kids of all ages. Even kids too young to read comfortably on their own will sit still for these compact, highly readable stories about the origin of eponyms and toponyms. Because each colorful history is just about a paragraph long, they can make fine bathroom reading. The truly wonderful thing about eponyms and toponyms is how they aid recall of historical facts. I'm sure my son won't forget where the word berserk came from: "bear-sarks" or "bear coats", a term used to describe those wild Norse warriors who frazzled so many nerves a thousand years ago.