What can words be, or rather, what can’t they be? Poet Alastair Reid introduces children and adults to the wondrous waywardness of words in <...
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Feb 18, 2012
Jessica
rated it: 
full review at Deseret News
Author Alastair Reid has a fascination with words that he'd like to share with you. And not just any words, although those are interesting, too, but also curiosities, old words no longer used and words he thinks should exist.
Paired with black-and-white illustrations, these tongue-twisting collections of letters may just make you want to create your own concoction of words.
"Ounce Dice Trice" is quirky and unconventional. With poetry an More...
Author Alastair Reid has a fascination with words that he'd like to share with you. And not just any words, although those are interesting, too, but also curiosities, old words no longer used and words he thinks should exist.
Paired with black-and-white illustrations, these tongue-twisting collections of letters may just make you want to create your own concoction of words.
"Ounce Dice Trice" is quirky and unconventional. With poetry an More...
Jan 15, 2010
Trish
rated it: 
This is a glorious book to savor and read again and again just for the chance to revel in the beauty of words. It's not just a kids book, though it is sold in that department and though kids would love to have it read to them. The words speak for themselves, are arranged as artfully as poetry on a page, and are accompanied by the most beautiful and skillful illustrations by Ben Shahn. What a collaboration! I recommend it for everyone, and hope, even if you don't add it to your library, that you
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Jan 18, 2010
Grass_Roots
rated it:
If you love language, words and pronouncing things, you will fall in love with this book. It may have been intended for children, but I keep reading it to myself over and over again. Reid describes his book as "a collection of words and names to amuse and amaze you." This book is more than just lists, however –Reid's sorting, categories, descriptions and definitions are poetic, funny, and wonderfully clever. Reviewed on NPR.
Mar 18, 2010
Miss Clark
rated it:
A book that explores and seeks to share a love of words, from palindromes to words that are airy or heavy, squishy or buggy, names for houses and names for whales, words becoming lost, like dimity and gloaming and frangipani, gnurr and oosse, dayligone, tantony (smallest piglet in a litter) or worg (plant that won't grow), jiggery-pokery and thrumbled. Very fun.
Sep 05, 2011
Jessica
rated it:
This is one of the NYRB's fabulous series of reprints. In this one, poet Alistair Reid explores words. Big words, little words, words that should rhyme but don't, words that rhyme but shouldn't. Simple illustrations and clever combinations make this an excellent book for introducing younger readers to more complicated but fun words.
Feb 11, 2010
Becky
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Booktalked this by asking listeners to "translate" the following list of words: ounce, dice, trice, quartz, quince, sago, serpent, oxygen, nitrogen, denim. They got it right away! Such is the nature of this fun book about words both real and imagined. Great for a unit on poetry or wordplay.
Feb 06, 2011
Amy
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"Words for times of day (to be used where there are no clocks)" is my favorite. Shahn's line drawings are delightful, especially the roller skaters on the page for "light words" and the odd-looking wee fellow who illustrates "feeling good," or "ram tam gee pickagee."
Feb 01, 2010
Laura
rated it:
A great way to introduce children to the joy of words, both read and spoken. Possibly a little too advanced for the six year old, but she seemed to enjoy it anyway, for the most part. I can see this being a book we'll return to often.
Mar 11, 2010
Nancy
rated it:
Acreage, Brokerage, Cribbage, Carthage, Cage, Sink, Sentiment, Ointment, Nutmeg, Doom.
WAH.
And Ben Shahn's inky sketches, with those wonderfully furrowed-brow men and babies.
Word play given the royal treatment.
WAH.
And Ben Shahn's inky sketches, with those wonderfully furrowed-brow men and babies.
Word play given the royal treatment.
Sep 21, 2009
Deborah
rated it:
Hurray! It's back in print! Now I can give this book to my friends. Because to my mind every writer needs a dictionary, a thesaurus, The Elements of Style (illustrated), and this - OUNCE DICE TRICE.
Jan 16, 2010
Deborah
rated it:
One of my favorite books, all about words - some real, taken out of context, and listed by categories, like: "Light Words" (lissom, sibilant, nimble...), "Names for Elephants" (Wilbur, Bendigo, Wendell Tubb, Deuteronomy...), etc. Other words are completely invented and defined such as "a GONGOZZLER is an idle person who is always stopping in the street and starting at a curious object like a TINGLE-AIREY." The illustrations by Ben Shahn are also wonderful. O.P.,
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Sep 07, 2010
Marie
rated it:
This one will only be appreciated by children (and adults) who really enjoy words, but for those of us who do, this one is a splendid treasure!
Oct 09, 2010
Becky
rated it:
Superbly quirky fun with words - and meant to be read aloud.
Many, many thanks to our children's librarian for pulling this for Z.
Many, many thanks to our children's librarian for pulling this for Z.
Mar 03, 2011
Clare
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Delightful book about words, meanings and the art of writing. Good for a laugh and very inspirational for budding writers.
Nov 12, 2011
dee
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I loved, loved, loved this book. Did I say I love this book? This is a book for all you long-winded, locquacious, verbose lovers of our fine language. It was really funny and words used I never ever heard of. It just left me feeling Ram Tam Gee Pickagee! Feeling good! In it he gives names to everything. I loved the part where he names twins like Wishy and Washy for fish, Higgledy-Piggledy (good names for pigs) or Shilly and Shally or Dilly and Dally or Knick and Knack. Namby and Pamby are b
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May 10, 2010
Jacqueline
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This is BRILLIANT. I challenge anyone NOT to read this aloud (or without at least moving his/her lips).
Jan 16, 2010
A clever celebration of words, but real and made-up. There is no narrative, just lists of words and words about words. I was hooked by the list of names for elephants. The text is amusing, but I liked the illustrations even more.
Jan 16, 2010
Tiffany
rated it:
I bought this book 4 days ago. I love it. Should have had it for years.
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