Word Builder [Hardcover]

Ann Whitford Paul (Author), Kurt Cyrus (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 24, 2009 | Age Level: 5 and up

Begin your new construction with twenty-six letters...

Where would a sentence be without words? And what's a word without letters? Just like when constructing a building, you have to build your words from the ground up!

Foreman Kurt Cyrus brings architect Ann Whitford Paul's poem to incredible heights with vivid illustrations that will make everyone want to be a word builder!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1—Letters are hammered into words, words are turned into towering sentences, sentences into paragraphs, and paragraphs into "chapter cities" in this construction-themed introduction to the craft of writing. Paul's spare text allows the illustrations to take center stage and Cyrus takes the cue, showing himself to be a master of perspective in one awe-inspiring layout after another. Ultimately, a little construction worker has created a whole world inside a book. Finally finished, he opens it to see a train carrying the letters "Once upon a time." Word Builder will provide teachers with a great introduction to writing, especially for children just beginning to put words and sentences together. Preschoolers will be drawn to the construction motif, regardless of the subject. Though vaguely reminiscent of Denise Fleming's Alphabet Under Construction (Holt, 2002), this title goes beyond the basic alphabet book premise and has none of the cutesiness of that work.—Jayne Damron, Farmington Community Library, MI
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From Booklist

Letters. Words. Sentences. Paragraphs. These are the foundations of writing, and this oversize book uses direct language and terrific artwork to show children how literal and figurative construction works. Paul’s free verse is comprised of one or two lines on each page: “Begin your new construction with twenty-six letters.” Or “Pile your words like blocks into sentence towers.” As sentences are framed into “paragraph villages” and paragraphs are stacked into “chapter cities,” a young boy in a hard hat labors mightily. As he hammers and shovels mortar, at first it is difficult to see the actual connection to letters, just a lot of close-ups of building procedures. But as the view moves back, “chapter cities” appear and children who look closely will see how the structures are built from letters. In the last spread, the boy, still wearing his hard hat, is reading the book that has been constructed. The art, rendered in pencil and digital color, seems almost three-dimensional and will fascinate readers. Teachers will find many uses for this. Grades K-3. --Ilene Cooper

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers (February 24, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416939814
• ISBN-13: 978-1416939818
• Product Dimensions: 12.2 x 9.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #694,185 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ann Whitford Paul graduated from the University of Wisconsin and Columbia University School of Social Work. She became inspired to write picture books after years of bedtime reading to her four children. She's published 19 different award-winning books. Now she gets story ideas from her three grandchildren. For ten years she taught picture book writing through UCLA Extension. She still enjoys teaching how to write picture books. When she isn't writing or teaching, she loves listening to her cat purr, watching spiders spin their webs and following snails' trails. You can learn more about her, download writing tips and classroom activities, and contact her through her web-site www.annwhitfordpaul.net.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Learn how to be a "word builder" with this very engaging, unique book!, July 7, 2009

By 

D. Fowler "Dragonfly77" (Vermont) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Word Builder (Hardcover)

The tractor is coming into a building with a heavy load of twenty-six letters and a boy is already working hard with pneumatic nail gun hammering "a through z into words." Naturally once you have your words made you then have to put them into sentences. The boy has a set of pulleys and is putting them together. He cuts some sentences into tall ones, while others are short. Of course you have to "mortar each sentence with punctuation."

The boy is hard at work with his nailer and doing a bit of rough framing because you have to "frame your sentences into paragraph villages." The cranes are out placing the paragraphs "into chapter cities." Work, work, work! You have to keep on going until you create the ultimate . . . a book!

This is an unusual book that may not appeal to all people. The text is minimal and the gist of the story is the construction of the basic elements of letters into words, sentences, paragraphs and chapters. This is a very unique way to introduce this building process. The art work is very engaging and many children will be fascinated by it. This book would be an excellent addition to any homeschool or classroom shelf.