The Weighty Word Book by Levitt, Paul M.

As seen on TikTok: the viral children's book sensation beloved by kids of all ages. Learn and remember the definitions of words like felicity, truculent, and vacillate with the help of funny stories and beautiful illustrations.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, one big word, correctly used, is worth numerous little words. The big words in this book--one for each letter of the alphabet--have been selected not only for their frequency in the written language, but also for their sound. In every instance, the word has more than one syllable and the sound of the word lends itself to a pun.

The stories in the book are, as you will see, suggested by the pun. Although the stories are fanciful, they lead to the correct meaning of the words. By recalling the story and the concluding pun, children ought to remember what each word means. The stories and the puns, therefore, serve as memory hooks and encourage children to increase their vocabulary by forming their own mnemonics for any new words they encounter.

Author: Paul M. Levitt,Douglas A. Burger,Elissa S. Guralnick
Publisher: Unm Press
Published: 04/15/2009
Pages: 96
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.40lbs
Size: 9.20h x 9.20w x 0.60d
ISBN: 9780826345554
Audience: Ages 9-12

Review Citation(s):
Hornbook Guide to Children 07/01/2009 pg. 430 - Below Average, With Minor Flaw
Library Journal Supplements 11/15/2008 pg. 48

About the Author
Paul M. Levitt teaches in the department of English at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He is also the author of Chin Music: A Novel of the Jazz Age and numerous books for younger readers and scholars.

Douglas A. Burger (1937-2024) was associate professor of English at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Elissa S. Guralnick is professor of English, College of Music, at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Janet Stevens is a Caldecott Honor-winning artist who has written, adapted, or illustrated numerous award-winning books for children, including And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon (Child Magazine Best Children's Book List, 2001), Tops & Bottoms (Caldecott Honor Book and Disney NAPPA Book from LA Parent), and The Three Billy Goats Gruff (Parents Choice Award).