The Boy Who Loved Words Review

PUB DATE: March 2006

This was on the new release section of our library. When I picked up the book I thought it might be a good book.

The age range is 4 to 8. Michael wasn’t sure about this book. He thought it was a little long for him. I could see about half way that he was loosing interest in the book. He asked alot of questions about the words that were used such as: predilection, exultant, melliflvous, djinn, and tintinnabulating and what they meant. At one point he looked at me and said “Mommy why can’t they just say that instead of using that word?”

Its a cute story about words. Selig (the boy in the story, with the nickname Wordsworth) collects words and writes them down. The words he collects are ones that stir his heart (Mama!) and ones that make him laugh (giggle). When he is faced with having too many words he wonders what to do with so many words? One night a djinn comes to him in a dream. The djinn tells Selig that he has to find his purpose and Selig decides to leave to find his purpose. He spends the night in a tree and is awaken to the sounds of his words. Its a poet who is stuck in writting a poem. Selig doesn’t realize it at first but his words have helped a poet find the perfect words for his poem (lozenge, lemon, and licorice). Selig figures it out, he discovers that his purpose is to spread the word to others. Selig begins to sprinkle, disburse, and broadcast them to people in need. In the end, years later when Selig is older and lonely Selig hears a marvelous sound in the breeze. He follows the sound and comes upon a young woman playing a lute. He asks her name, Melody. It was love at first listen.

So if one day you happen to think, write or even talk and that perfect word just happens to come to you just remember that Selig is near. If you happen to hum or suddenly burst into a song for no reason then perhaps Melody is near by too.