Books › 13 words
13 words
40 pages
A rollicking, strikingly beautiful journey that transforms a simple vocabulary lesson into a madcap celebration of language.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like stepping into a strikingly beautiful, madcap adventure where language itself is the main attraction. The pace is brisk and rollicking, carrying the reader through a whimsical landscape populated by dogs, birds, hats, and cake. The tone is notoriously clever and uproarious, pushing the boundaries of traditional storytelling to celebrate thirteen wonderful words from the everyday to the delightfully specific, like panache and haberdashery. The prose is fanciful and surprising, perfectly matched by an atmosphere of wondrous artistic vision. It is an experience designed to delight young readers, fourth graders, and anyone who appreciates a clever, unconventional journey that revels in the sheer joy of vocabulary.
- Mood
- wondrous
- madcap
- surprising
- joyful
- Tone
- whimsical
- clever
- uproarious
- fanciful
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- celebration of language · vocabulary building · unconventional storytelling · artistic wonder
- The writing
- Clever and boundary-pushing, weaving practical definitions into a fanciful, rollicking narrative.
- The arc
- Moves from a practical introduction of vocabulary into a wondrous, madcap celebration of language and art.
- Who it's for
- Young readers and language enthusiasts who delight in clever, art-filled, and unconventional approaches to vocabulary.
About the book
From bestselling author Lemony Snicket and celebrated illustrator Maira Kalman comes an uproarious, whimsical word book like no other.
Together, Snicket and Kalman present a strikingly beautiful journey woven from a practical introduction to thirteen wonderful words, featuring such marvels as Bird, Dog, Panache, and Haberdashery. Snicket, the notoriously clever and elusive author, pushes the boundaries of storytelling in the most fanciful of ways. Maira Kalman, renowned for her art and design, carries this madcap adventure to wondrous heights with her vision of a world populated with hats, song, and cake. This rollicking, surprising book is a true celebration of words.
Description from Open Library.
Books like 13 words
See why they match
HorseradishLemony SnicketA delightfully cynical antidote to toxic positivity, offering elegant commiseration for life's inevitable disappointments.
The DarkLemony SnicketA gently spooky, beautifully shadowed exploration of making peace with the things that go bump in the night.
The pigeon wants a puppy!Mo WillemsA hilarious, high-energy masterclass in toddler-esque bargaining and the sudden regret of getting exactly what you asked for.
FrindleAndrew ClementsA playful battle of wits in a fifth-grade classroom spirals into an unstoppable linguistic phenomenon.
Love Is My Favorite ThingEmma Chichester ClarkA warm, energetic picture book that captures the chaotic joy of a dog whose heart is just a little too big.
The 13 ClocksJames ThurberA delightfully absurd, word-drunk fairy tale that begs to be read aloud.