Bryant, Jennifer. The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus. Ill by Melissa Sweet. MI: Eerdmans, 2004. ISBN: 0802853854
Summary: This little biography picture book is about the life of Peter Mark Roget, the creator of the first list of words and their synonyms... the Thesaurus, inspired by losing his father, then having to move. Life was difficult for Peter but he found solace in books, so he began writing his own. Instead of stories he wrote lists. Lists of all sorts of things he learned along the way. Peter loved words! Lists made his life seem orderly. Roget was quite an amazing man, creating lots of very cools things (the slide rule, the pocket size chess set). I have always loved words and now I have a newfound respect for the reference tool the Thesaurus, a "treasure house" it is!
Analysis: Where to begin... there is so much going on in this little biography picture book. Great for all ages! The illustrations are awesome and grab your attention. You fall into each page and stay awhile because there is so much detail in each illustration to take in. This picture book is a great learning tool for teaching synonyms, classification, and categorizing as each item/part is explained by showing its purpose textually and visually. Starting with the front cover illustration of an open book with pictures of all the cool stuff one can find within. The inside cover is awesomely decorated with educational information with the science of words. On the back inside cover one will find a "Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases, Classified and Arranged so as to Facilitate the Expression of Ideas and Assist in Literary Composition" along with images to help visualize the word list's subjects.
Additional resources such as Roget's life events along with notable world events from 1779 through 1869 can be found in the back as well as the Author's Note that will clue the reader in on Bryant's inspiration behind creating the book. The Illustrator's Note gives insight to the Roget's original 1805 word book and how it inspired Sweet's lists and pictures all from Roget's 1st edition. Also found near the back, one can find a bibliography "for further reading." I love how there is a photo of a page from Roget's original word book. Peter Mark Roget was always trying to come up with a better word for the one he originally thought of by creating lists of synonyms for each. Roget creates the first Thesaurus, a Greek word that means "treasure home." Cover to cover the illustrations are a feast for the eyes. There is so much to see. It could be quite overwhelming for a young scholar but that being said the illustrations as well as the text is very engaging. A nonfiction book all educators should have on hand.
Accolades/Scholarly Reviews: Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award Winners and Honors 2001; Caldecott Medal/Honor Books; Fanfare 1998; Horn Book Honor List; Georgia Picture Book Award Nominees 1997; Horn Book Magazine Starred Review Titles and many more.
Analysis: Where to begin... there is so much going on in this little biography picture book. Great for all ages! The illustrations are awesome and grab your attention. You fall into each page and stay awhile because there is so much detail in each illustration to take in. This picture book is a great learning tool for teaching synonyms, classification, and categorizing as each item/part is explained by showing its purpose textually and visually. Starting with the front cover illustration of an open book with pictures of all the cool stuff one can find within. The inside cover is awesomely decorated with educational information with the science of words. On the back inside cover one will find a "Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases, Classified and Arranged so as to Facilitate the Expression of Ideas and Assist in Literary Composition" along with images to help visualize the word list's subjects.
Additional resources such as Roget's life events along with notable world events from 1779 through 1869 can be found in the back as well as the Author's Note that will clue the reader in on Bryant's inspiration behind creating the book. The Illustrator's Note gives insight to the Roget's original 1805 word book and how it inspired Sweet's lists and pictures all from Roget's 1st edition. Also found near the back, one can find a bibliography "for further reading." I love how there is a photo of a page from Roget's original word book. Peter Mark Roget was always trying to come up with a better word for the one he originally thought of by creating lists of synonyms for each. Roget creates the first Thesaurus, a Greek word that means "treasure home." Cover to cover the illustrations are a feast for the eyes. There is so much to see. It could be quite overwhelming for a young scholar but that being said the illustrations as well as the text is very engaging. A nonfiction book all educators should have on hand.
Accolades/Scholarly Reviews: Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award Winners and Honors 2001; Caldecott Medal/Honor Books; Fanfare 1998; Horn Book Honor List; Georgia Picture Book Award Nominees 1997; Horn Book Magazine Starred Review Titles and many more.
From Booklist 08/01/2014: "Echoing Roget’s obsession with words, Sweet’s intricate and elaborate collage illustrations—made out of textbooks, graph paper, maps, fabric, typewriter keys, and other found objects—put words on center stage. Lists in wildly expressive handwritten fonts along with cut-paper assemblages stuff the dynamic pages, even the appended time line and endpapers, with arresting detail."
From Kirkus Review 08/01/2014: "Bryant's prose is bright and well-tuned for young readers. She goes gently, omitting Roget's darkest traumas, such as witnessing his uncle's suicide. Sweet tops herself—again!—visually reflecting Roget's wide range as a thinker and product of the Enlightenment. Injecting her watercolor palette with shots of teal, scarlet and fuchsia, Sweet embeds vintage bits (ledger paper, type drawers, botanical illustrations and more), creating a teeming, contemplative, playfully celebratory opus."
Connections: Under the "For Further Reading" there are five other books that would go along great with this one. One in particular would be a great extension called Noah Webster and His Words. As an ELA teacher, I think this along with The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus would be great starter reads when introducing how to use the Thesaurus and the Dictionary in the classroom.
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