What Are Words, Really?
by Alexi Lubomirski (Author) Carlos Aponte (Illustrator)
A renowned photographer and a Pura Belpré Honor-winning illustrator join forces for a playful and stylish picture book that's destined to make the world a better place, one word at a time.
Perfectly pitched to the youngest child, Alexi Lubomirski's whimsical text is a gentle reminder that words have power--the power to hurt or to heal, to make someone feel small or feel tall. Carlos Aponte's buoyant illustrations, in dazzling primary colors and bold black line, pair with a dynamic text design to create a visual symphony. An eye-catching appeal to our better natures, this inspired meditation on the purpose and power of words encourages children to choose them well--and use them wisely--to spread kindness, joy, and love.
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Kirkus Reviews
School Library Journal
K-Gr 2--Text and illustration are inseparable in this book that encourages readers to think about the power of words--the ones they think to themselves, and the ones they say out loud. Lubomirski urges the audience to consider the impact of two four-letter words, love and hate, on plants as well as people, and to "try an experiment, where you change what you say/ and see if your life gets better in a wonderful way." Unfortunately, the rhyme scheme is clunky in several places, making it frustrating to read out loud. The limited color palette--primary colors plus black and white--is bold and effective, and there are plenty of interesting visuals woven throughout, such as a soccer ball for the "o" in "grow" and a whale tail for the "t" in "hate." VERDICT Words do indeed have power, but uneven execution mars the message here; consider for SEL collections.--Jenny Arch
Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
—School Library Connection This bold, bright ode to the power of words blends colorful art with the words themselves. The message is that words matter, and choosing the best and kindest ones makes a difference. . . . Using kind words for yourself and others is 'like a magical spell' that brings light to the world — and this sunny book encourages readers to do just that.
—The Virginian Pilot
JNF053200 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Social Topics | Values & Virtues
JNF029040 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Language Arts | Vocabulary & Spelling
Children
Vocabulary
Emotions in children
Language
Illustrated works
Virtues
