Abracadabra to Zombie: More Than 300 Wacky Word Origins - Hardcover

Wulffson, Don L.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0525471006 ISBN 13: 9780525471004

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile, 2003

Synopsis

From the fifty state names through the months of the year and more, this illustrated book explores the origins of both common and unusual words in the English vocabulary.

About this title

About the Author:

Don Wulffson has written more than forty books for young readers, including The Kid Who Invented the Trampoline.

Jared Lee has illustrated numerous children's books, including the bestselling Black Lagoon series by Mike Thaler.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 4-7-This alphabetically arranged volume introduces readers to the history of more than 300 familiar words and phrases in an amusing and straightforward style. The entries cover the origins of many popular terms and brand names, including sports teams, states, cars, food, rock stars, fictional characters, and real people. For example, by looking under "Peanuts," children discover that the Planters Company standardized the word in the early 1900s and that the character Mr. Peanut was based on a 14-year-old boy's winning entry to a drawing contest. The marigold was named Mary's gold in honor of the Virgin Mary during the early crusades. A section of "Forgotten Words" presents colorful terms such as "flepper" (the lower lip) and "zowerswopped" (ill natured). Whimsical black-and-white illustrations appear throughout, along with additional facts in cloud-shaped insets. Although the entries are short and contain only basic information, they will surprise and delight readers, and may encourage further research into the subject.
Linda Wadleigh, Oconee County Middle School, Watkinsville, GA
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About this edition

• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0525471006
• ISBN 13: 9780525471004
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 160
• Illustrator: Lee Jared