Taro Gomi's Big Book of Words

December 18, 2023
Gomi (The Crocodile and the Dentist) illustrates this wide-ranging compendium of words and phrases with his signature cartoons, here generally rendered as thumbnail-like drawings. The book’s first section, naming words, details the way that a concept (“flowers”) can also reference a specific thing (“lily”), and notes how a signifier can connote different ideas in different contexts: “A fishmonger calls a fish a product to be sold. A chef calls a fish an ingredient to be cooked.” Other verbiage noted includes things that fly; colors, numbers, and shapes; and “things you can’t see” (various expressions flit across children’s faces: “wind” tosses a child’s hair; “odor” provokes a wide-eyed stare). The title’s second section, conversational language, includes words of greeting and appreciation (“Thank you for your patience”) and many more. An unattributed translation has some stiff moments (fish defined repetitiously for English audiences as both “a dish” and “food”), and a page involving exaggeratedly expressive people dressed in skins naming an elephant “to feel safe” leans more philosophical than categorical. Gomi nevertheless provides a playful nuts-and-bolts look at language as the basis of not just words but ideas. Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 3–5.

January 15, 2024
Words are for learning, sharing, greeting, naming, and so much more. Words abound in this homage to the complexities of language and communication. Accompanied by Gomi's strikingly vibrant and cartoonish art, characters, animals, and objects are named and described, using intriguing, often humorous classifications. On a page titled "Here are some things you can't see," a series of square panels appear, including "gas." A page labeled "Words for Storytelling" includes "I mean..." and "However..." A section devoted to names includes dozens of distinctive and expressive faces, spread across seven pages, each with its own moniker. Though at times section headings like "Words and Phrases To Use in Conversation" might make readers think they're reading an English-as-a-second language textbook, overall, this is clearly lighthearted, whimsical fun--Gomi even devotes entire pages to an elephant and a cow. The author/illustrator imbues the book with complex and rich concepts, explaining at one point that we name things "in order to feel safe." The inclusion of social-emotional terms, such as "thank you," "you are a big help," and "you're doing great," provide jumping-off points for discussions. The final page, which features "Words for Saying Goodbye," features Japanese-language characters and an English-language key, offering bilingual opportunities for those who know both languages. Characters are mostly brown-skinned. An unusual and illuminating introduction to language. (Picture book. 4-8)

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