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Noah Webster's Fighting Words
Noah Webster - famous for writing the first dictionary of the English language as spoken in the United States - was known in his day for his bold ideas and strong opinions about, well, everything. Spelling. Politics. Laws. You name it, he had something to say about it. He even commented on his own opinions! With a red pencil in hand, Noah often marked up work that he had already published. So when Noah's ghost came across this new picture book biography, he couldn't help but make a few suggestions!
40 pages, Library Binding
First published April 1, 2017
5 people are currently reading
165 people want to read
About the author
Tracy Nelson Maurer
155 books9 followersTracy Nelson Maurer has written books for children and young adults for more than 15 years. She holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her family near Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
May 17, 2019
Fascinating and entertaining. I learned a lot. Recommended to anyone interested in American history, the American Revolution and/or *American* English :-)
June 16, 2017
An oft forgot story from the American Revolution or the War for Independence is that of Noah Webster and his quest to break away from the formal language of the country of England He strove to add American Words at first to a new American English Dictionary, and then ended up creating spelling rules and pronunciations that his young country could use to teach its citizens.
Maruer’s humorous approach to include Webster as her editor and fact corrector in which he gleefully takes his red pen to her text makes it a fun read aloud to school age children. Catuusanu’s mixed media collage work allows him to bring in period artifacts and actual written material in Webster’s own hand.
Included extras are a full page spread for each of the author and illustrator to discuss how this book came into being, a two page spread of the timeline of Webster’s life, source notes, a selected bibliography, a primary source list, child friendly websites for more information. With a great presentation, visually interesting artwork, and the documentation of their material this book deserves to be a proud member of any home, classroom, school or public library. I would highly recommend reading it with a child today!
It shows that there was a literary aspect of the American Revolution and how our language in America became different from Great Britain. I would highly recommend this book for purchase. This book was provided by the publisher for professional review by SWON Libraries.
Maruer’s humorous approach to include Webster as her editor and fact corrector in which he gleefully takes his red pen to her text makes it a fun read aloud to school age children. Catuusanu’s mixed media collage work allows him to bring in period artifacts and actual written material in Webster’s own hand.
Included extras are a full page spread for each of the author and illustrator to discuss how this book came into being, a two page spread of the timeline of Webster’s life, source notes, a selected bibliography, a primary source list, child friendly websites for more information. With a great presentation, visually interesting artwork, and the documentation of their material this book deserves to be a proud member of any home, classroom, school or public library. I would highly recommend reading it with a child today!
It shows that there was a literary aspect of the American Revolution and how our language in America became different from Great Britain. I would highly recommend this book for purchase. This book was provided by the publisher for professional review by SWON Libraries.
November 15, 2019
Interesting! Perfect amount of humor without making it mocking. Loved it!
April 19, 2024
Such a fun picture book biography about how the Noah Webster dictionary came about. As well as an explanation of why American spelling and English spelling are different.
June 15, 2017
A story of Noah Webster's fight to bring American words and American history to schools in "America" shows continuing determination. Noah grew up with parents who taught him to read and write, provided him with books and newspapers. He convinced them to send him to Yale at the age of fifteen! There he found friends who agreed with the early talk of revolution because of the outrageous taxes. He did not serve in the military in the Revolution, but fought through the written word with letters, speeches and news articles. After independence, he taught, and that is when he began his lifelong goal of preparing a dictionary that included uniquely American words, even changing the spelling. Tracy Maurer showed Webster's persistence, but also that he had quite a temper, always wanting his way, what he thought was "the" way. He didn't always win, but often.
I assume that Tracy and Mircea Catusanu, the illustrator collaborated for the clever idea of allowing Webster to do part of the editing. Really! The opening endpaper shows a "note" from Webster telling about this. Throughout the book, there are added notes hand-printed from "him" that either change the information or add to it. Even on the copyright page, there is a note when he shares that he was part of the push for American copyright laws. The illustrations combine cartoon-like people with a wealth of added images, like on the double-page spread that shows the beginning of his work for a dictionary. There he sits at his desk, wiping his brow as he looks at a book, surrounded by piles of books and papers. (His note says he checked his pulse while working on this, a big workout!) The illustrator shares that some images are copied from Webster's original notes and letters.
Several pages of back-matter include an author's note, an illustrator's note, a timeline, a bit about Charles Merriam who bought Webster's work from his heirs, and several pages of different sources. It's an extensive book for a beginning study of this beloved dictionary and man.
I assume that Tracy and Mircea Catusanu, the illustrator collaborated for the clever idea of allowing Webster to do part of the editing. Really! The opening endpaper shows a "note" from Webster telling about this. Throughout the book, there are added notes hand-printed from "him" that either change the information or add to it. Even on the copyright page, there is a note when he shares that he was part of the push for American copyright laws. The illustrations combine cartoon-like people with a wealth of added images, like on the double-page spread that shows the beginning of his work for a dictionary. There he sits at his desk, wiping his brow as he looks at a book, surrounded by piles of books and papers. (His note says he checked his pulse while working on this, a big workout!) The illustrator shares that some images are copied from Webster's original notes and letters.
Several pages of back-matter include an author's note, an illustrator's note, a timeline, a bit about Charles Merriam who bought Webster's work from his heirs, and several pages of different sources. It's an extensive book for a beginning study of this beloved dictionary and man.
March 31, 2017
Noah Webster’s Fighting Words is a delightful and informative book for people of all ages. With her playful text, Tracy Nelson Maurer invites the reader to turn the pages and learn more about one of our lesser-known founding fathers. I love the “editing” that the ghostly Noah Webster does to the text, especially when he tries to give a better impression of himself than what the author had written! Webster was not particularly well-liked during his time, and the author’s words, some borrowed from his contemporaries, describe him as being bossy, an “incurable lunatic” and a “spiteful viper”. Despite these sentiments expressed by some, Webster also had many redeeming qualities. Appropriately, Maurer uses a rich vocabulary to describe Webster’s life. The collage illustrations by Mircea Catusanu strike a good balance between playfulness and the serious nature of this historical figure.
Because of my background as an educator, I found myself thinking about the many ways that this book could be used to help students make connections to both the historical and modern worlds. The teacher could lead a discussion about child mortality (one of Webster’s children died in infancy) during Colonial Times, compare it to today, and elicit ideas from the students about why those numbers have changed. Or the class might make a collective list of American vs. British spellings of words. What does it mean to “fight with a pen”? Webster was an early proponent of copyright laws. How does that affect people today? There are so many possibilities! A wealth of information is available at the end of the book, including both an author’s and illustrator’s note, timeline and primary sources. Whether read by an individual, or employed as a read-aloud, this book is a perfect addition to any study of Colonial Times, the American Revolution or the English language.
Because of my background as an educator, I found myself thinking about the many ways that this book could be used to help students make connections to both the historical and modern worlds. The teacher could lead a discussion about child mortality (one of Webster’s children died in infancy) during Colonial Times, compare it to today, and elicit ideas from the students about why those numbers have changed. Or the class might make a collective list of American vs. British spellings of words. What does it mean to “fight with a pen”? Webster was an early proponent of copyright laws. How does that affect people today? There are so many possibilities! A wealth of information is available at the end of the book, including both an author’s and illustrator’s note, timeline and primary sources. Whether read by an individual, or employed as a read-aloud, this book is a perfect addition to any study of Colonial Times, the American Revolution or the English language.
May 2, 2017
Introducing young readers to real people in picture book biographies is a fabulous way for them to begin learning about those who shaped the world. It is also a wonderful method to introduce and encourage reading of non-fiction works to young readers.
Most Americans have used a Webster's Dictionary at one time or another but few have the slightest clue as to how a dictionary was compiled, when, and by whom. In Noah Webster's Fighting Words the story begins with America's path toward shaping American English as we know and define it.
The story reveals the feisty nature of Noah Webster and how he pushed hard to establish verbiage that was uniquely American in sound interpretation and spelling.
Illustrations that will surely capture the attention of the most reluctant reader add interest and direction to the text that is factual yet with a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor that keeps it lively and entertaining. This story gives a glimpse into an individual that was somewhat weird, hard to get along with, and contrary and yet who was a valuable contributor to American English language development.
The pages at the end of the book include author's note and illustrator's note as well as a fantastic timeline. This book would make a great addition to libraries everywhere and of every type.
DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from Lerner Books to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own and are freely given.
Most Americans have used a Webster's Dictionary at one time or another but few have the slightest clue as to how a dictionary was compiled, when, and by whom. In Noah Webster's Fighting Words the story begins with America's path toward shaping American English as we know and define it.
The story reveals the feisty nature of Noah Webster and how he pushed hard to establish verbiage that was uniquely American in sound interpretation and spelling.
Illustrations that will surely capture the attention of the most reluctant reader add interest and direction to the text that is factual yet with a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor that keeps it lively and entertaining. This story gives a glimpse into an individual that was somewhat weird, hard to get along with, and contrary and yet who was a valuable contributor to American English language development.
The pages at the end of the book include author's note and illustrator's note as well as a fantastic timeline. This book would make a great addition to libraries everywhere and of every type.
DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from Lerner Books to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own and are freely given.
December 1, 2016
This picture book is fabulous. It's a wonderful mixture of straight nonfiction (the main text) with a clever, fictional (but well informed by meticulous research) second layer of text--editing by the man himself, Noah Webster. Discover how the first American English dictionary came to be--and why. Think about how the words we use influence the way we think. Get to know Noah's bossy own self through the very revealing and funny editing marks and comments "by him." Enjoy lighthearted and delightful collage illustrations that will support your understanding of the text itself. Kids (and, ok, adults) who don't think they're interested in history will be surprised.
Excellent backmatter includes an author's note, an illustrator's note, a timeline, a selected bibliography, quotation citations, and primary sources used.
Noah Webster's Fighting Words is an awesome book about Noah Webster. But it's really about language, independence, justice, self-expression. It's about why words are so powerful.
[Disclaimer: Review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley. I also know the writer. But I read lots of books by writers I know, and most of them don't garner this enthusiastic of a response. I would love this book even if written by a total stranger:>) ]
Excellent backmatter includes an author's note, an illustrator's note, a timeline, a selected bibliography, quotation citations, and primary sources used.
Noah Webster's Fighting Words is an awesome book about Noah Webster. But it's really about language, independence, justice, self-expression. It's about why words are so powerful.
[Disclaimer: Review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley. I also know the writer. But I read lots of books by writers I know, and most of them don't garner this enthusiastic of a response. I would love this book even if written by a total stranger:>) ]
July 1, 2017
I love this trend of picture books I'm finding to help make some of the people students have heard about forever, more human to many of our students. They know that Webster is "the dictionary guy," although with the increase of dictionaries on-line, the use of an actual dictionary is becoming less common, but they think he has nothing to do with their lives. Well, he does. He was one of the men who helped write our American English language, the very language they still use today. He battled others to decide which words needed to be added because of this new country's discoveries and how things should be spelled for consistency (a battle he didn't entirely win.) I also love this book as a non-fiction narrative example of how to insert some additional voice about the character by having the character actually write and "edit" the book. In some ways it reminded me of Chester who feels a need to share his views with the reader as well. I'm not sure exactly where I'm going to use this book this year in my class, but I am sure I'm going to read it to the students.
November 21, 2016
A delightful biography of Noah Webster with lots of visual appeal for a young reader and enough little known facts to please any amateur historian. Every detail is well documented which enhances the appeal of this resource. I look forward to sharing this book with my students.
July 9, 2020
Noah Webster's Fighting Words is a children's picture book written by Tracy Nelson Maurer and illustrated by Mircea Catusanu. It chronicles the life of Noah Webster – America’s original man of letters.
Noah Webster Jr. was an American lexicographer, textbook pioneer, English-language spelling reformer, political writer, editor, and prolific author. He has been called the "Father of American Scholarship and Education". His "Blue-backed Speller" books taught five generations of American children how to spell and read.
Catusanu's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Maurer paints a picture of a man secure in his opinions, including his desire to see America break away from Great Britain in every way – including how they speak, write, and spell. Backmatter includes an author's note, illustrator's note, timeline, sources, bibliography, primary sources, and additional information. Catusanu creates lively, patchwork scenes that incorporate samples from prints, newspapers, books, and Webster's own letters.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Noah Webster was concerned with letters, literally. With America formally separated from England, he wanted to break away from Great Britain in every way. As a classroom teacher, he saw that students didn’t learn American geography or American history or read American stories and students used British grammar books. So, the same year the American Revolution ended, he published A Grammatical Institute of the English Language, and his spelling book became America’s first bestseller.
All in all, Noah Webster's Fighting Words is a wonderful and attractive volume demonstrating that even words themselves have a story – especially in Noah Webster.
Noah Webster Jr. was an American lexicographer, textbook pioneer, English-language spelling reformer, political writer, editor, and prolific author. He has been called the "Father of American Scholarship and Education". His "Blue-backed Speller" books taught five generations of American children how to spell and read.
Catusanu's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Maurer paints a picture of a man secure in his opinions, including his desire to see America break away from Great Britain in every way – including how they speak, write, and spell. Backmatter includes an author's note, illustrator's note, timeline, sources, bibliography, primary sources, and additional information. Catusanu creates lively, patchwork scenes that incorporate samples from prints, newspapers, books, and Webster's own letters.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Noah Webster was concerned with letters, literally. With America formally separated from England, he wanted to break away from Great Britain in every way. As a classroom teacher, he saw that students didn’t learn American geography or American history or read American stories and students used British grammar books. So, the same year the American Revolution ended, he published A Grammatical Institute of the English Language, and his spelling book became America’s first bestseller.
All in all, Noah Webster's Fighting Words is a wonderful and attractive volume demonstrating that even words themselves have a story – especially in Noah Webster.
April 21, 2021
This is a historical fiction text for 3rd or 4th graders. I really enjoyed the style of this book because it was playful and written as if Noah Webster was commenting on this book written about himself. The book tells the story of Noah Webster's childhood and the history of the Revolutionary War. I enjoyed that it showed Noah's contribution to the war as being his words in newspapers and speeches in favor of American independence. It shows his contribution to American schools by ways of reading, writing, spelling, and history that was new and helpful to students. He produced reading and spelling books, American books, and dictionaries to break away from British language, history, and methods of teaching. He even made an American alphabet and revolutionized how we spell words in America. I was surprised and very informed by this book because I didn't know much about Noah Webster's life until I read this. I admire his passion for education and the ease of reading and spelling he fought for to make them easier for children (and all Americans) to learn. It's amazing how much change Noah Webster brought about in his life for education because of the hard work and dedication he had. This was a WOW book for me because it presented history in a way that was fun and engaging, which made me want to finish the book and learn more. I would have enjoyed history more as a child if the books were written in this format with wonderful illustrations and interesting story telling. I could see students really enjoying this book.
In my classroom, I would use this book as a starting point and option for students in a project where they have to create a presentation on the autobiography of a historical figure. This could be a resource for a student that wants to do their project on Noah Webster or I could make an example based on this book. Another way to use this book would be when doing a unit on individuals who made a change in our world. I could use this as a read-aloud to bring in historial facts and to show Noah Webster's passion for making changes in education that affect us today.
In my classroom, I would use this book as a starting point and option for students in a project where they have to create a presentation on the autobiography of a historical figure. This could be a resource for a student that wants to do their project on Noah Webster or I could make an example based on this book. Another way to use this book would be when doing a unit on individuals who made a change in our world. I could use this as a read-aloud to bring in historial facts and to show Noah Webster's passion for making changes in education that affect us today.
April 1, 2022
"Noah Webster's Fighting Words" by Tracy Nelson Maurer is a great story for people of all ages about the history of America's first innovator, Noah Webster. Noah Webster is, in a way, one of the founding fathers of our country because of his great contributions to the "Americanization" of our culture. Through this book, readers get an insight into what motivated Noah to make the changes he did to our language.
As a child, words "tickled young Noah" (Maurer 2). He expressed great interest in spelling, grammar, and reading at a very young age. When he was a child, "Noah read everything he could find" (Maurer 6). However, his school was an improper learning environment and according to Noah had "no book for reading" (Maurer 6). This experience led to his distaste in how children were taught, and as a grown man teaching in Goshen, N.Y., Noah finally made the decision to modify the way children were taught in school, because "in his opinion, America needed to break away from Great Britain in every way. Politics. Trade. Even in its ways of speaking and spelling" (Maurer 9). And with that, Noah's famous "Blue-Backed Speller" was published a year after in 1783, which was full of new "American" words and phrases that shaped our modern culture.
These are the things that motivated Noah to change American language. His work in lexicography lead to many new innovations in other fields because he pioneered American innovation. If he hadn't tried to change our culture, the foundation of a society, then we may have still retained many British characteristics and maybe even not have had pride in our new country's independence.
As a child, words "tickled young Noah" (Maurer 2). He expressed great interest in spelling, grammar, and reading at a very young age. When he was a child, "Noah read everything he could find" (Maurer 6). However, his school was an improper learning environment and according to Noah had "no book for reading" (Maurer 6). This experience led to his distaste in how children were taught, and as a grown man teaching in Goshen, N.Y., Noah finally made the decision to modify the way children were taught in school, because "in his opinion, America needed to break away from Great Britain in every way. Politics. Trade. Even in its ways of speaking and spelling" (Maurer 9). And with that, Noah's famous "Blue-Backed Speller" was published a year after in 1783, which was full of new "American" words and phrases that shaped our modern culture.
These are the things that motivated Noah to change American language. His work in lexicography lead to many new innovations in other fields because he pioneered American innovation. If he hadn't tried to change our culture, the foundation of a society, then we may have still retained many British characteristics and maybe even not have had pride in our new country's independence.
March 23, 2018
What an interesting "character" in American's history! This book introduces facts that make Noah Webster really come to life...and Tracy Maurer has done it in a clever manner...by pretending Mr. Webster is editing her writing with comments that he would probably have made himself. Excellent idea, and it made the book extra fun to read. Although there's a lot to look at on each page, it's not overwhelming, and I, who usually love lots of bright colors, love the muted browns with lots of orange and the collaged look of each page. It all works together really nicely.
March 14, 2019
A picture book biography of Noah Webster that is well researched and masterfully presented. The voice is both engaging and knowledgable. Collage illustrations mix authentic looking elements from Webster's time period, including actual historic newspapers and books, with fun characters. A fictitious (but very credible) Noah took his red pen to the manuscript and left editorial notes throughout the text. All these choices come together to make an impressive contribution to children's nonfiction.
February 21, 2022
I didn’t know Noah Webster purposely changed spelling of words just to make them different from the British!
October 9, 2019
Clever design.
April 28, 2021
Historical fiction
(NOT A REVIEW: I would like to note I began wanting to use "Go Set A Watchmen", but after further research and looking into it, it didn't seem right. Also, for the age levels it seemed to be pushing it to have 11-12 year olds reading this content)
(NOT A REVIEW: I would like to note I began wanting to use "Go Set A Watchmen", but after further research and looking into it, it didn't seem right. Also, for the age levels it seemed to be pushing it to have 11-12 year olds reading this content)
August 23, 2017
Wonderful narrative voice, great, surprising historical insights, and innovative art make this an irresistible picture book bio.
January 21, 2017
This book is a biography of Noah Webster that kids will truly understand. Noah Webster was obsessed with letters and words from his babyhood. He was concerned with reading and writing and sharing his knowledge with others not so inclined.
He felt that the breakaway by the U.S. from England needed to be punctuated by a revision of all the words that the US implemented that were rooted in the English language. He took it upon himself to tackle the monumental task of writing, then publishing "A Grammatical Institute of the English Language", and his spelling book (yes a dry, but necessary) spelling book, became American's first bestseller. Can you believe it?
He believed that letters embedded within words that had no sound should be omitted altogether from that word. He arranged and deleted letters to simplify spelling so words could be recorded exactly as they sounded: jail instead of gaol, iz for is, and hed for head. His claim to fame? He changed the spelling of more English words than anyone else alive.
He used his pen as a weapon and wrote essays, speeches, and newspaper articles to defend his work and expound on the activities of his world around him. When it came to his mission of words and their meanings he was ever feisty and always relentless trying to drive his points home to anyone that would listen.
Castusanu's illustrations bring so much to the understanding of the story. Time-period pictures are embellished with period drawings, newspaper articles, books, and letters - handwritten in Webster's own script.
I loved the added touch of using Noah himself as the editor of the book. Brilliant. The two dimensional words that were printed on a page needed a voice and they found a very serious and exuberant one in Noah Webster. He definitely got the word out. Dictionaries in all forms have Webster to thank for their notoriety. I highly recommend this book.
He felt that the breakaway by the U.S. from England needed to be punctuated by a revision of all the words that the US implemented that were rooted in the English language. He took it upon himself to tackle the monumental task of writing, then publishing "A Grammatical Institute of the English Language", and his spelling book (yes a dry, but necessary) spelling book, became American's first bestseller. Can you believe it?
He believed that letters embedded within words that had no sound should be omitted altogether from that word. He arranged and deleted letters to simplify spelling so words could be recorded exactly as they sounded: jail instead of gaol, iz for is, and hed for head. His claim to fame? He changed the spelling of more English words than anyone else alive.
He used his pen as a weapon and wrote essays, speeches, and newspaper articles to defend his work and expound on the activities of his world around him. When it came to his mission of words and their meanings he was ever feisty and always relentless trying to drive his points home to anyone that would listen.
Castusanu's illustrations bring so much to the understanding of the story. Time-period pictures are embellished with period drawings, newspaper articles, books, and letters - handwritten in Webster's own script.
I loved the added touch of using Noah himself as the editor of the book. Brilliant. The two dimensional words that were printed on a page needed a voice and they found a very serious and exuberant one in Noah Webster. He definitely got the word out. Dictionaries in all forms have Webster to thank for their notoriety. I highly recommend this book.
March 6, 2018
This was one of the cutest books I’ve read in a while. Noah Webster’s Fighting Words gives us a short biography about Noah Webster, and he’s decided to make sure that the author gets it just right, so it features notes and edits by Noah Webster’s ghost.
Mostly, what this book focuses on is Webster’s passion for words, detailing his fight for making an “American” language that was separate from British English, and the career he made for himself in writing and editing. It’s easy to read and incredibly informative; certainly a must-have for an elementary teacher who delves into the American Revolution time period. The illustrations are fun and have a beautiful sepia-toned, old-timey feel to them that brought me right into atmosphere of the colonial time period for America. Plus, you get a bit of humor from Webster making his edits to the biography and giving side notes.
This book is delightful and I highly recommend it for those who want an approachable non-fiction book about an important figure in American history.
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
Mostly, what this book focuses on is Webster’s passion for words, detailing his fight for making an “American” language that was separate from British English, and the career he made for himself in writing and editing. It’s easy to read and incredibly informative; certainly a must-have for an elementary teacher who delves into the American Revolution time period. The illustrations are fun and have a beautiful sepia-toned, old-timey feel to them that brought me right into atmosphere of the colonial time period for America. Plus, you get a bit of humor from Webster making his edits to the biography and giving side notes.
This book is delightful and I highly recommend it for those who want an approachable non-fiction book about an important figure in American history.
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
February 27, 2017
Noah Webster's Fighting Words looks like it is a meticulously researched book about the life, from boyhood to death, of Noah Webster. I, personally, hope that everyone in the United States knows of Noah Webster. This book is set out to entertain, but also educate children. It is very entertaining to think that Noah Webster, himself, helped to revise this book. I feel that this book is perfect for anyone who would want to learn about Noah Webster!
Thank you Millbrook Press and NetGalley for the digital ARC of this book, which made this honest review possible.
Thank you Millbrook Press and NetGalley for the digital ARC of this book, which made this honest review possible.
November 10, 2017
Special thanks to #kidlitexchange for this review copy of Noah Webster's Fighting Words. All opinions are my own.
I enjoyed this engaging, humorous middle-grade biography about Noah Webster. It would add an interesting perspective to studying the American Revolution. The illustrations are fun and there's a lot to be gained from each page. I loved the inclusion of editing remarks (and asides), as well as the timeline, Author's and Illustrator's Notes, Sources, Bibliography and Primary Sources. There are lots of ways a teacher (or librarian) could use this book!
I enjoyed this engaging, humorous middle-grade biography about Noah Webster. It would add an interesting perspective to studying the American Revolution. The illustrations are fun and there's a lot to be gained from each page. I loved the inclusion of editing remarks (and asides), as well as the timeline, Author's and Illustrator's Notes, Sources, Bibliography and Primary Sources. There are lots of ways a teacher (or librarian) could use this book!
February 5, 2017
Wonderful book! The story of Noah Webster's life is fascinating and one that will engage readers of all ages. I learned so much, I truly had no idea that Webster was so influential. As a teacher, it is nice to find a book that can be linked to several different content areas (history, writing, and social justice.) The playful way the author has Webster "edit" his own biography is delightful as are the pictures. I cannot wait to share the story with students!
December 13, 2017
Language changes, evolves, and grows. Noah Webster, the creator of the first American dictionary, knew that even back in the late 1700s. He even wanted to change the spellings of a lot of English words to make them less British and more American. He was only successful with a few, however. This book is a good reminder to all of us that language and grammar are not static and it changes and grows with the times.
December 21, 2016
This was an interesting book about the creator of the American dictionary. The author tried to make it fun by having Noah correct things in the story. It's an interesting take on a non-fiction book. And in this case it works.
September 30, 2017
Noah Webster fought the American Revolution with his pen, as the author argues in this story:
In his opinion, America needed to break away from Great Britain in every way. Politics. Trade. Even in its ways of speaking and spelling.”
To that end, he published A Grammatical Institute of the English Language in 1783, changing some British spellings and showing American pronunciations. He followed this up in the next two years with American Grammar and the American Reader. He featured the works of Americans in his books, and looked for more ways to make “American” separate from “English.” Thus, for example, he promulgated such usages as “jail” instead of “gaol” (successfully) and “riter” instead of “writer” (not so much).
He asked the U.S. Congress to pass laws making speaking and spelling uniform throughout the states, but Congress refused. He then tried to effect change through a dictionary. In 1806 he wrote a small dictionary with 40,600 entries, including some unique American words, such as chowder and skunk. [His philosophy - “descriptionist” rather than “prescriptionist” to dictate correct word usage - is still being debated to this day.]
In 1828, he published his pièce de résistance, An American Dictionary of the English Language. The author writes:
“No one, not another author, or even a king or queen, has ever successfully changed the spellings of as many English words as Noah Webster did for the new nation.”
“Today,” the author concludes, “a dictionary named after him is still published in America - with new words in every edition.”
An Author’s Note explains the author’s interest in Noah Webster and the research she undertook to write the book. Romanian illustrator Mircea Catusanu also includes a note, reporting on how he “opted for a collage style that incorporates realistic elements including some period drawings of objects, created over one hundred years ago by anonymous artists, as well as excerpts from period books, newspapers, and Noah’s original handwritten letters.” He also reveals that he tried using “a lighter approach” in drawing his characters, “aiming for an unexpected and hopefully amusing effect.”
The book concludes with a timeline, list of sources, and selected bibliography.
Evaluation: The interesting text and lively, collage-style illustrations will provide children with insight into how language evolves, as well as teaching them that the American Revolution was carried out in more unorthodox ways than just through military clashes. This can lead to many insights on the ways in which words, images, and art of all kinds can influence the course of history.
In his opinion, America needed to break away from Great Britain in every way. Politics. Trade. Even in its ways of speaking and spelling.”
To that end, he published A Grammatical Institute of the English Language in 1783, changing some British spellings and showing American pronunciations. He followed this up in the next two years with American Grammar and the American Reader. He featured the works of Americans in his books, and looked for more ways to make “American” separate from “English.” Thus, for example, he promulgated such usages as “jail” instead of “gaol” (successfully) and “riter” instead of “writer” (not so much).
He asked the U.S. Congress to pass laws making speaking and spelling uniform throughout the states, but Congress refused. He then tried to effect change through a dictionary. In 1806 he wrote a small dictionary with 40,600 entries, including some unique American words, such as chowder and skunk. [His philosophy - “descriptionist” rather than “prescriptionist” to dictate correct word usage - is still being debated to this day.]
In 1828, he published his pièce de résistance, An American Dictionary of the English Language. The author writes:
“No one, not another author, or even a king or queen, has ever successfully changed the spellings of as many English words as Noah Webster did for the new nation.”
“Today,” the author concludes, “a dictionary named after him is still published in America - with new words in every edition.”
An Author’s Note explains the author’s interest in Noah Webster and the research she undertook to write the book. Romanian illustrator Mircea Catusanu also includes a note, reporting on how he “opted for a collage style that incorporates realistic elements including some period drawings of objects, created over one hundred years ago by anonymous artists, as well as excerpts from period books, newspapers, and Noah’s original handwritten letters.” He also reveals that he tried using “a lighter approach” in drawing his characters, “aiming for an unexpected and hopefully amusing effect.”
The book concludes with a timeline, list of sources, and selected bibliography.
Evaluation: The interesting text and lively, collage-style illustrations will provide children with insight into how language evolves, as well as teaching them that the American Revolution was carried out in more unorthodox ways than just through military clashes. This can lead to many insights on the ways in which words, images, and art of all kinds can influence the course of history.
January 1, 2018
As an elementary school teacher, I love picture book biographies. At their best, they include compelling narratives, well-crafted language, and fantastic examples of character traits. John Deere, That's Who! and Noah Webster's Fighting Words, both by Tracy Nelson Maurer, include all of these attributes and more.
Noah Webster's Fighting Words, published April 2017, is a standard biography with a creative twist: "Noah" himself serves as editor. Fake hand-written sticky notes throughout the text show what Noah may have said to expand on or correct Maurer's text. This move makes the book even more entertaining, but it also pushes the book into the historical fiction category. This book can inspire students to explore our linguistic history and will leave them wanting to learn even more about the man behind our dictionary.
In both of her new picture books, Maurer has earned a place on kids' bookshelves.
Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of these books - all opinions are my own. Thanks for reading!
Noah Webster's Fighting Words, published April 2017, is a standard biography with a creative twist: "Noah" himself serves as editor. Fake hand-written sticky notes throughout the text show what Noah may have said to expand on or correct Maurer's text. This move makes the book even more entertaining, but it also pushes the book into the historical fiction category. This book can inspire students to explore our linguistic history and will leave them wanting to learn even more about the man behind our dictionary.
In both of her new picture books, Maurer has earned a place on kids' bookshelves.
Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of these books - all opinions are my own. Thanks for reading!
September 23, 2024
My mom and I were learning about Noah Webster in homeschooling a couple of weeks ago and we read tons of educational picture books about him! This one was one of our favorites!
This book is HiLaRiOuS! If you need a good belly laugh and a hearty chuckle, then read this book! I love how it's super factual while being engaging and funny at the same time!
Noah Webster's Fighting Words goes into detail about events in Noah's life, from his childhood to his grandfatherhood. (That's now a word 😂)
I learned so much by reading this book! Did you know that Noah was once called a "literary puppy?" I definitely didn't before reading this!
I hope you enjoy this book as much as I do! Thank you for reading my review! Follow @bronteandwilder on Instagram for fun book recommendations!
This book is HiLaRiOuS! If you need a good belly laugh and a hearty chuckle, then read this book! I love how it's super factual while being engaging and funny at the same time!
Noah Webster's Fighting Words goes into detail about events in Noah's life, from his childhood to his grandfatherhood. (That's now a word 😂)
I learned so much by reading this book! Did you know that Noah was once called a "literary puppy?" I definitely didn't before reading this!
I hope you enjoy this book as much as I do! Thank you for reading my review! Follow @bronteandwilder on Instagram for fun book recommendations!
August 18, 2017
This book shares a little bit about Noah Webster and his lifelong obsession with words. He advocated for America to break from Great Britain in more ways than political- he argued American's ought to have their own spelling of words, too. He compiled the first American dictionary and worked hard to simplify spelling. Though some of his ideas failed to resonate with the American people, his dictionary is still being used and updated to this day.
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The collage pictures are visually interesting and Noah's "ghost" commentary adds an element of fun. A worthwhile read, especially for kids who like to write and spell!
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The collage pictures are visually interesting and Noah's "ghost" commentary adds an element of fun. A worthwhile read, especially for kids who like to write and spell!
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