Amazon.com Review
How would you define "bump" for a 6-year-old? The
Scholastic First Dictionary outlines it as follows: "1. A
bump is a round place that is above the area around it. William got a
bump on his head when he hit it on a low branch of a tree. When something has many
bumps on it, we say it is
bumpy. The country road was
bumpy. 2. When you
bump into something, your body hits something you didn't mean it to hit." Not bad, eh? The chief advantage of this straightforward, inviting dictionary is that it is accessible to young readers--the definitions are written in complete sentences with age-appropriate language, and each word is used in a simple sentence.
Containing more than 1,500 words highlighted by bold, kelly-green type, the Scholastic First Dictionary is targeted to the reading level--and interests--of elementary school students, and not designed to be comprehensive. For example, "knitting" is not in this dictionary, but "kneel," "knife," and "knight" are. "Iguana" is not there, but "igloo" is. Each page of this 224-page volume contains an average of eight words, and includes at least two full-color photos to help illustrate word meanings. The real value of this resource for children is in helping them build basic dictionary skills and as a general guide for early readers, teaching them how to spell words, how to pronounce them, what words mean, how to use them in a sentence, how words change form, and, of course, discovering new words. The crisp, colorful layout encourages hours of contented browsing for the voracious young knowledge seeker. A great gift for any budding reader! (Ages 5 to 9) --Karin Snelson
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From School Library Journal
Grade 1-3?With a crisp layout, bright colors, and a large typeface, this dictionary is appealing and accessible. The 1500 main entries are well suited to use by young readers and writers. There are at least two full-color photographs on each page; they illustrate words such as "cash machine," "camcorder," and "headphones." The photos help children distinguish between a computer mouse and the animal, an audio and a video tape, and a floppy and a compact disc. Common animals are included, most with pictures. Each entry word is followed by phonetic pronunciation; a simple definition; an illustrative sentence using the word; and alternative forms such as plurals for nouns, comparatives for adjectives, and tenses for verbs. If there are multiple meanings for a headword, each definition is numbered. The introduction includes two pages that explain how to use the dictionary and a pronunciation guide. Following the dictionary proper is a page on prefixes, suffixes, and contractions. A two-page spread covers forming plurals, words that sound alike, and how words work in sentences. Lastly, there is a page on measurement and an index of pictures. The attractive format and appropriate contents will invite children to use the dictionary when needed and to browse for pleasure.?Priscilla Bennett, State University of West Georgia
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
