The Word Collector

Gr 1-3--Jerome is a collector. While others collect stamps or trading cards, he collects words that he hears, sees, or reads--words that catch his fancy "multisyllable words that sounded like little songs" or "words he did not know the meaning of at first, but ... were marvelous to say...." When he accidentally slips and his word collection scatters, he is inspired to begin "stringing words together. Words he had not imagined being side by side." Soon there are poems and songs and surprisingly simple, but mighty combinations like "I understand" or "I'm sorry." Determined to share his newfound knowledge, on a breezy day, Jerome climbs a hill and tosses his collection to the wind. Reynolds leaves readers with his own string of words, "Reach for your own words/Tell the world who you are/And how you will make it better." Less wordy (excuse the pun) than Roni Schotter and Giselle Potter's The Boy Who Loved Words or Max's Words by Kate Banks and Boris Kulikov, this book is short and sweet yet packs a powerful punch. Reynolds's signature ink-and-gouache cartoons manage to capture both the joy of learning and the power of kindness. VERDICT A perfect introduction to vocabulary units that should encourage youngsters to collect their own words to create their own poems. Have students write 10 favorite words from their collections on slips of colored paper for a poetry word wall, and let the inspiration flow.--Barbara Auerbach, formerly at New York City Public Schools

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Praise for Happy Dreamer

"The message of acceptance and patience comes through clearly, and the exhortation to 'carve your own path' and 'show the world who you are' will be appreciated by anyone who has ever felt misunderstood." — Booklist

"Celebrates individuality, self-expression, and the joys of being a dreamer . . . a liberating validation of dreaming as restorative, comforting, and powerful, while giving kids full license to be themselves." — Publishers Weekly

"A sweet gift to praise spirited individuality, this choice encourages readers to dream big. Let those sparkles fly!" — Kirkus


Praise for The Dot

* "Simplicity itself, like the dot in the title, this small book carries a big message." — Booklist, starred review

* "In this engaging, inspiring tale, Reynolds (illustrator of the Judy Moody series) demonstrates the power of a little encouragement. . . . Reynolds pulls off exactly what his young heroine does, creating an impressive work from deceptively simple beginnings." — Publishers Weekly, starred review

* "With art that seems perfectly suited to the mood and the message of the text, Reynolds inspires with a gentle and generous mantra: 'Just make a mark.'" — School Library Journal, starred review

" . . . it may speak to formerly artistic young readers who are selling their own abilities short." — Kirkus


Praise for Ish

*"Ish. . .encourages readers to see the world anew." — School Library Journal, starred review