Description
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.
Reviewer from Amazon – Lisa
Originally published in Australia as The Word Spy, The Word Snoop can easily be read, and thoroughly enjoyed, by native English speakers from any country. Non-native speakers may not be ready for some of English’s more peculiar conventions, but ESL teachers would do well to have a copy on hand in case an advanced student starts to ask questions about anything from punctuation marks to malapropisms. Running about 233 pages long, excluding a fine table of contents, glossary, and answer key, The Word Snoop may at first appear daunting to young readers. Starting from the very beginning, though, the narrator (who calls herself The Word Snoop) brings the reader in, making them feel more as though they are unearthing mysteries rather than reading an informational book on the English language. Light illustrations by Tohby Riddle serve to give readers examples, an occasional laugh, and a reason to keep turning the page. Puzzles throughout and codes to be broken following each chapter make this not only an interesting read, but a fun activity book! Reading with a friend, or competing with a friend, on the puzzles and codes could add a whole new level to the enjoyment of the book. Elementary teachers could use the puzzles as classroom activities; for what child does not enjoy the challenge of a rebus?
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