"The Right Word: Roget and his Thesaurus" by Jen Bryant

Bibliography

Bryant, Jen. (2014). “The Right Word: Roget and HisThesaurus.” Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm B.

                Eerdmans Publishing Co. ISBN: 978-0-8028-5385-1

Summary

This book chronicles the life of Peter Roget and his love for language that brought us one of the most valuable literary tools in existence.

Analysis

I have to start by saying that I would happily frame any page from this book and hang it in my house, classroom or car. The illustrations are beautifully crafted from various combinations of paper, watercolors, pens and pencil. They are a very creative visual representation of the subject of the book, Peter Mark Roget. These images also have snippets of handwritten thesaurus entries regarding the vocabulary used in the book. The images give the book an intellectually youthful feel that is very enjoyable even without the story line. Despite the many additional words in the book, the story line itself is clearly defined in a typeface that stands apart from the handwritten entries that pepper the pages.

The story itself if cleverly written and portrays Roget in a very flattering light even though he may not have been the most “normal” of children. He lost his father at a young age and then spent a majority of his time compiling lists of various items he was studying. There are only hints that his mother worried about his well being. The author paints, (pun intended) Roget in the position of a celebrity after he publishes his famous Thesaurus which can be very encouraging for children who are shy or enjoy books more than people. The story also shows the value of words and language and teaches the reader about one of a writer or reader’s greatest tools: the thesaurus! I used a digital thesaurus 3 times just in this short review! Give it a try and I’m sure you’ll find it to be a splendid read!

Here's a little more information about this literary innovator to keep you occupied until you can get a copy of the book!

Awards

Caldecott Medal, 2015

Golden Kite Award for Picture Book Illustration, 2015