The Word Snoop [Hardcover]

Ursula Dubosarsky (Author), Tohby Riddle (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 9, 2009 | Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

Meet the Word Snoop. She?s dashing and daring and witty as can be?and no one knows more about the evolution of the English language than she does. Luckily, she?s spilling her secrets in this gem of a book. From the first alphabet in 4000 BC, to anagrams, palindromes, and modern-day text messages, readers will learn all about the fascinating twists and turns our fair language has taken to become what it is today.

With playful black-and-white illustrations, riddles to solve, and codes to break, The Word Snoop is definitive proof that words can spark the imagination and are anything but dull. This is a book for every aspiring writer, and every true reader.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5–9—This "wild and witty tour of the English language" is a fun read for kids who love words. The author writes in the voice of a detective who is working to uncover all the mysteries of the language. Beginning with a history of the alphabet, chapters discuss punctuation, word puzzlers (anagrams, lipograms, etc.), palindromes, code languages (Pig Latin, rebuses, rhyming slang), puns and tongue twisters, euphemisms and clichés, nicknames and eponyms, and texting. Each section ends with a puzzle or a code that, when solved, spells out a secret message. The author's tone is playful throughout. She offers many examples to clarify some esoteric points of grammar. The pages are illustrated with amusing line drawings and silhouettes. The silly manner makes what can be a dry subject lighthearted and interesting. Readers will also increase their knowledge about how English evolved to what it is today, learn some word games, and discover that LOL and texting have very old roots.—Geri Diorio, The Ridgefield Library, CT END

Review

"...[a] thoroughly engaging, well-crafted primer." --Kirkus

"The Word Snoop's enthusiasm...is so infectious that readers will be hard-pressed to resist her invitations to join the fun." --Horn Book

"[A] fun read for kids who love words." --School Library Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Dial (July 9, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803734069
• ISBN-13: 978-0803734067
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 5.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #658,184 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Witty and wise with words, July 19, 2009

By 

J. Scheible "Book lover" (Sacramento, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Word Snoop (Hardcover)

In "The Word Snoop," Ursula Dubosarsky delves into the idiosyncracies of English with bravado and passion. Her work is meaty and funny. She dishes up scholarly information about the quirks of our language, from the history of silent letters and tautologies (saying the same thing twice, such a frozen ice) to tongue twisters and lipograms (writing only with words that do not contact a certain letter, such as no words that have an "s."). "Snoop" is a marvelous resource for teachers who want to pepper lessons with memorable bits and for adults who relish words. The book is well-designed for its target group: ages 9-12. Its 10 chapters are divided into many short sections -- ideal for short-attention spans. Drawings and graphic devices also help readers focus on each pivotal point.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dubosarsky Wows with Wit and Intelligence in This Grammatical Journey Geared at the Gifted Child, July 9, 2009

By 

Molly Mcknight "Mo Barnes" (Hatteras NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Word Snoop (Hardcover)

The Word Snoop by Ursula Dubosarsky, was a refreshing and entertaining look at the history and idiosyncrasies of the English language. The narrator (The Word Snoop) is on a mission to understand the English language. He takes the audience from the dawn of the written word, through the Anglo-saxon period, passed the age of William the Conqueror, up to Shakespeare and culminating in the examination of the "new" language of texting and computers. The Snoop goes on to investigate idioms, anagrams, palindromes, and portmanteau words among other quirky, quaint and queer uses and expressions in English. It is the perfect independent-study grammar resource for gifted students. I am buying 25 (class set!!). Check it out. It is a fabulous book for anyone who loves Language.

MORENABS ( think anagrams)

5.0 out of 5 stars 246 pages of pure delight in the world of words., November 7, 2010

By 

J. Guild (Toronto,Canada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Word Snoop (Hardcover)

Ursula Dubosarsky has put together a book that will delight anyone who likes puzzles and words;particularly if you enjoy both of these forms of entertainment,pastimes,humor,creativeness, or just plain nonsense.Just about any writer of maker of puzzles deals in words in one way or another.

Many books have been written on any one of the chapters of Anagrams,Paragrams,Acronyms,Palindromes,Nmemonics,Oxymorons,Puns,Mondegreens, Tongue Twisters,Portmanteaus,Snurtles,Euphemisms,Doublespeak,Cliches,Tautology Nicknames, Spoonerisms ,Malapropisms,and even more.This little tome covers them all.Some are very familiar to just about everyone,some are off the wall,some may be familiar to you ,but you never knew there was a name for them.This playing around with words has gone on ever since words and language was invented.But there is a whole new form taking place with the computer ,the Internet and Texting.It may have been started with something as simple as "The Smiley Face";but this has expanded as the world of writing has moved from the "professional writers" to what we have today with practically everyone who has access to a keyboard has become a "composer unrestrained by any convention but their imagination".I even have a little book published by Carlton Books titled "1000 Text Messages TXT TLK How 2 Tlk W/o Bng Hrd.There is no doubt about it TXT TLK must be considered a new language.

The booh even give a bit of history on our language and how it developed from simple scratches to the alphabets we now use.This evolution took many thousands of years,but at no time did it develop as quickly as it did during the extremely short period of "The Computer Age";and as is often said,"You Ain't seen Nothin' yet".If you think back at how we have trouble reading what is called "Old English",can you just imagine the trouble we would have if we were to see the way people will be communicating with one another in 50 or 100 years?

Dubosarsky even talks about the way language was controlled in the past,the official spelling of words,the proper use of grammar ,puncuation,etc. English has always been "A Living Language",official bodies,schools etc.tried to control how we communicate in both written and verbal forms;but the restraints on individuals is virtually a thing of the past.

As wild and wolly as things are getting,don't worry,somehow we'll all figure it out.

LtsGeTTexting

GTng2gthr

Everyone used ASAP without any trouble;so what's so difficult with?

2Day and 2moro

or

CU2nite @8

or even

GnaMakUAnOFfUCntRfs ,come on,"Gonna make you an offer you can't refuse"

Now you got the idea ,try this,

RUAlwysThsDmbOrRUMkngASpclFrt2day?

Now here are a few use of symbols.See if you can match them with these meanings;

[:-/ Mad,Very Mad,You Make Me Sick,

Very Displeased,Very Sad

:-C

:-[*]

>:-<

>:-<<

WTHDTM

What the hell does that mean?

YHBW

You have been warned.