The Dictionary of Difficult Words: With more than 400 perplexing words to test your wits!
Find out all this and more in the Dictionary of Difficult Words. Test your knowledge with more than 400 words to amaze, confuse and inspire budding wordsmiths (and adults). All of the words featured in this book are difficult to spell, hard to say and their meaning is obscure to most children (and most adults!) Written with simple, easy-to-understand definitions by lexicographer Jane Solomon, this dictionary celebrates the beauty of the English language for family trivia time spent around the printed page.
Reviews (68)
Having a ton of fun with this book!
My daughter (8) and I read one letter per night. We use the words to inspire story telling and conversation. I love the final entry for each letter that highlights one of the words. It might be a bit too heavy on "phobias" and obscure words that can't really be added to one's vocabulary, but it's still a must-get in my book. (BTW, I bought this after hearing an interview with the author on the Grammar Girl podcast.)
This book is sick awesome
It's got big words. It's got little words. It's got funny words. It's got science words. It's got hilarious pictures. It's huge. It's colorful. It's undergone thorough testing on children, and they love it. Cats love it too. This book is wild sweet. Anyone who is a child or an adult will expand their command of the English language with this book.
Fun and informative for kids and adults alike
The Dictionary of Difficult Words is such a gorgeous book. The illustrations are fantastic and the cover has a great texture with embossed letters. While the words may be difficult or rare, even to a thirty-something college-educated person, the definitions are super accessible and kids would have no problem picking them up. I love hunting for all the cats hidden (or not so hidden) throughout the book and finding new words to call my own cat (Pulchritudinous).
Giggles and learning- does it get any better?
We got this book for Christmas and my 6 year old and I are LOVING it! We have so much fun giggling at the funny words featured in the in the book like spaghettification and flibbertigibbet as well as learning learning new words for common things like sternutation! It's been a great addition to our library and a wonderful book to get kids interested in language. This would be a great book to use in the classroom too!
Great alternative to a dictionary!
My kids are not ones to pursue the dictionary, but this book absolutely! It is packed with fun and interesting words with the definitions and fun illustrations to go with them. What is a volcanologist? Exactly what is a kerfuffle? Your kids may come out of this with a better vocabulary than you. The vibrant illustrations in the book are a great way to get kids interested in the different words and make it engaging for young readers. Are your kids going to use all these words in everyday life? No. Are they going to gain an appreciation for a bit more of the english language, yes!
Just a delight!
Love the “difficult words,” and the format of the book. It is just as lovely to read from start to finish as it is to simply open to any page and read. Great illustrations to accompany the definitions. Have played numerous word games and thought of new words we might add. Lovely, lovely book. My grandchildren are 10 and 6 and I have given it as a present to other children between those ages.
Poor Grammar
I thought the idea of these different words was really interesting and was looking forward to giving it to my grandchildren. However, I am appalled at the bad grammar and the excuse at the end of the book, that it is ok to use they a plural pronoun with a singular subject -someone. After all they has been used that was for 700 years. Pitiful. It could have all been changed in more than one way.
A brilliant way to learn fun words!
What a fun book! It’s filled with tons of interesting words you may or may not have heard of, so if words are your thing, you’re going to love it! The illustrations are charming with a delightful attention to detail. Can’t wait to get into my “snuggery” and read all about “clowders” and “turophiles”!
Highly recommended for kids and adults
This is an absolutely delightful book. Our kids, 7 and 11, loved it at first sight and were still working some of the words into their own conversations hours after they put the book down. The definitions are clear and meant to be read aloud. Perfect timing with the Scripps National Spelling Bee coming up! Highly recommended.
You need this book!
I love this book. I love beautiful books and this one is no exception. The pages are gorgeous, the writing is eloquent, and the words and definitions are unique. We use this in our homeschool because you can never have enough words in your vocabulary.
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