The Keeper of Wild Words

by Brooke Smith, Madeline Kloepper (Illustrator)

A touching tale of a grandmother and her granddaughter exploring and cherishing the natural world.

Words, the woods, and the world illuminate this quest to save the most important pieces of our language—by saving the very things they stand for.

When Mimi finds out her favorite words—simple words, like apricot, blackberry, buttercup—are disappearing from the English language, she elects her granddaughter Brook as their Keeper. And did you know? The only way to save words is to know them.

*With its focus on the power of language and social change, The Keeper of Wild Words is ideal for educators and librarians as well as young readers.
*For any child who longs to get outside and learn more about nature and the environment
*A loving portrait of the special relationship that grandparents have with their grandchildren

For children who love such books as Outside Your Window: A First Book of Nature, And Then It's Spring, and Finding Wild.

Genres: Picture Books, Nature, Childrens, Science, Environment, Animals, Family

62 pages, Hardcover

First published March 10, 2020

About the author

Brooke Smith is a poet and children's book author. She lives in Bend, Oregon, at the end of a long cinder lane. Brooke writes daily from her studio, looking at the meadow and many of the wild words she cherishes.

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the illustrations for this picture book and the idea of a young girl going for a walk with her Grandmother, looking at nature is a nice idea for a story but the text felt too much like a list and I found the plot weak.

The idea for the plot is is based on a reaction to the words that were removed from the children's dictionary, words like starling and blackberry. These have now been called 'lost words' which I don't think they are. Just because they're not in the children's dictionary doesn't mean they will disappear, since when did children consult with a dictionary to see what words they will use!

This is set in the US, but even someone from the UK can see these nature facts are inaccurate, late winter flowers appearing at the same time as flowers that bloom from June until July. Really annoying given the other book on this theme, The Lost Words has loads of nature facts wrong, what a contradiction, a book lamenting the loss of nature knowledge in children by people who haven't a clue about wildlife.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as the author noted in her note at the back of the book, it's rather sad that certain words are passing from favor, so much so that they're being removed from dictionaries. I find many of these words just as delightful as the book's characters do, and was dismayed that they were deemed no longer worth knowing. The story itself is a tribute to wild words, words associated with elements of nature. When Brook comes to visit Mimi, her grandmother, she is worried about to have a treasure to share with her classmates on the first day of school, and Mimi is preoccupied by how some words are being lost because they aren't being used in daily conversation or books. The two of them set off on a walk through the nearby fields and woods in search of those words. Brook takes her job as the Keeper of Wild Words seriously, and the two spend an amazing day enjoying the natural world around them. While I understand that language never remains static, I would also hope that words such as blackberries, buttercups, lavender, violets, and wrens are not forgotten. Sumptuously illustrated with mixed media and Photoshop illustrations, this picture book may remind readers of what matters in life and how important it may be to save those things that are going, going, gone even while embracing what's new. As for me, reading the book made me even more determined to use some of those terms that may now be considered archaic by others. There's even a large envelope in the back of the book for readers to save their own wild words. Ah, nature and literacy! Could there be a better pairing?

[Sandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dull, and for a book focusing on nature terms, not always accurate. Not big on the illustrations either. Didn't think a romp in nature could be such a let down.

[Carol Tilley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely concept, admirably executed.

[Holyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely book about nature, words, and a relationship between a granddaughter and her Mimi. A good reminder to see and cherish the world around us.

[Karol · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely outdoor adventure between grandmother and granddaughter with a list of words to find or be found by in the wild.

The list of words include:
Blackberry
Dandelion
Mint
Monarch
Porcupine
Willow
Wren
…and more

At the end of the story, the Author’s Note shares her inspiration for writing The Keeper of Wild Words. “ The Oxford Junior Dictionary removed over 100 natural words from its pages.”

I didn’t have a children’s dictionary when I was a kid. I didn’t know one existed until I was an adult. I always used my mother’s relic to look up words until I bought my own dictionaries. Yes, I collect dictionaries. I love words! No word is irrelevant or replaceable. They all mean something and make me feel something! Oxford Junior just needs to make a bigger dictionary to support our growing and changing vocabulary!!!

In addition, I love the envelope in the back of the book to collect my own “wild words” and keep them safe!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this more than I did. The direction was promising, but I struggled with the flow. Not all nature "facts" were actually true. It was okay. I did like how the ebook turned the cursor into a magnifying glass allowing you to look closer into the pictures, but there really wasn't a lot I was drawn into finding.

[Stephany Pachowka · Rating 4 out of 5]

The concept for this book as noted in the author’s note is to protect words from disappearing. It is a beautiful story of a granddaughter and her Mimi as they explore nature. 🌿

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely book, I can see why it is so highly recommended.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first I was a little confused on why the words chosen were classified as 'wild words', but as I read the back explanation I went through the same emotions as the author.

[Julie Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful - both words and images. perfect right now when many of us are stuck inside. It's a great connection to the importance of the Wild in our lives - and to instill that importance in our kids. But not heavy! - a joyful reading experience.

[Mandy Robek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m in love with the relationship between Mimi and her granddaughter. I’m in love with the storyline. I’m in love with the author’s note about why this book came to be.

[Hana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an absolute joy. The pages and premise are beautiful - a necessity for every mother and grandmother's bookshelves. It's hard to believe it's based on a true story, that the Oxford Junior Dictionary really did remove these 'wild words' (I love the title of this story BTW). I'll be buying for all my friends and family... well done, author.

[Marcie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely book and illustrations and the tribute to nature will be fun for the right reader and their grandmother. I did like the illustrations and the tribute to nature and the power of going outdoors. A little put off by the envelope gimic to collect words but it could pair with Peter H. Reynolds books.

[Mrs. Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, I found this to be rather boring and I did have high hopes because of the cover and the title. I see the sentiment, and certainly appreciate the book more after reading the author's note, but sadly, it still only feels like a sentiment and nothing truly tangible. I do like the illustrations, and the prose is lovely in its own right, but overall, its a lackluster story.

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 4 out of 5]

By allowing the wonder of nature to lure in on every page, the listener/reader is invited into the realm of wild words.

The author notes at the end of this book that she's written it thanks to one inspiration: the continued knowledge of words from nature. She noticed that over 100 words from nature were cut from the Oxford Junior Dictionary and replaced with more modern terms from slang and technology. In this book, she attempts to make sure readers don't forget words such as acorn, wren, minnow and buttercup, but rather learn to incorporate them in their own lives.

The illustrations invite listeners into the tale as a young girl visits her grandmother and they go on a search for 'wild' words. The joy of spending time together outside as well as the variety nature has to offer becomes clear on every page. It definitely invites listeners to head outdoors themselves and discover the world around them. As to the words, many listeners will easily recognize, but a few might not be as well known.

The text flows nicely and allows the relationship between the grandmother and girl to shine. It's easy to listen to, making it a nice read aloud. I believe the entire thing would have been more interesting and potent if it'd been a slight bit more compact. The text is a bit heavy considering the book is also over sixty pages long. More short-spanned attention fans might have trouble sitting still the entire way through. Other than that though, the book is lovely and makes a nice addition to a classroom sitting or even for homeschoolers. There's a pouch at the very end, which encourages listeners to head out and discover their own 'wild' words to preserve and remember. And I'm sure they will.

[Kimberly Worth · Rating 5 out of 5]

In “The Keeper of Wild Words” by Brooke Smith a young girl and her grandmother go on a nature walk to look for “wild words” in order to keep them alive and in her granddaughter’s memory. In one of our readings from class, Samuel Osgood emphasizes the importance within childhood to explore the “senses and muscles, the affections and fancies” (Sanchez-Eppler, p. 3). This idea of childhood suggests that it is a time for exploration and expression with the body as well as a time to discover what they enjoy in life, and they can find some of this freedom of expression, sensory exploration, and joy within the natural world as expressed through their adventure in this book. The beautiful illustrations utilize fine lines and soft colors create a sense of surrealism that emphasizes the peaceful joy that these characters find as they experience all the sights, sounds, and tastes nature has to offer. Similar to other books on this topic, readers can see a pattern of instilling an appreciation for nature as well as the importance for respecting it. This book will definitely encourage children to go out and enjoy the beauty of nature and all it has to offer.

[Karin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Children's literature picture book
K-2

I saw this book on an instagram post by the twowritingteachersblog and was curious to see what it was about. I was curious as to what 'wild words' were. The grandmother tells her granddaughter that some of her favorite words are disappearing. This caused my curiosity to increase! What words were disappearing? The girl and grandmother take a nature walk and along the way, Grandmother points out such things as minnows, mint, dandelions, buttercups, brook, and a monarch butterfly. At the end, the author noted what prompted her to write the book was the discovery that over 100 'natural words' have been removed from the Oxford Junior Dictionary because they were deemed as no longer having relevance for children today. How sad! Her book is an attempt to keep these words alive. I think K-2 students would enjoy this book, and the reading of it with them would be my assisting in keeping these words alive.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gorgeous, gentle story is one you will long remember. It’s a story of a grandma, Mimi, and her young granddaughter, Brooke. It’s a story of nature, of memories and words. It’s a story about a grandma’s fear that words of nature are being forgotten and of her determination to help Brooke become THE KEEPER OF WILD WORDS. 🌳
The illustrations are full of color and full of joy. The story inspires us to make certain the words and wonders of nature are shared with our children. It will inspire parents and grandparents (or even aunts and uncles) to take our children out into the world to view the beauty that surrounds us. It’s a wonderful gift for a new grandparent or even for parents to be. It’s one I am giving to my sister so she can share the wonders of the world with her grandchildren. And it even has a pocket in the back for you and your little ones to collect your wild words. It’s available now.

[Maughn Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a self-taught naturalist of the American southwest, I've had to learn for myself so many words that don't merely name but open up the natural world I experience on my walks and hikes: canyon wren, quail, road runner, cholla, moqui marbles, kingsnake, avocet, ground wasp, crosshatching, desert varnish, lichen, tafoni, arroyo, tent caterpiller, coachwhip, agave, yucca, prickly pear, datura, penstemon, ocotillo, cheat grass, desert cottontail, jackrabbit, horny toad, creosote, ephedra.

This book is poetic in text and gorgeous in art. The admonition to use, cherish, and thereby preserve the words that name the natural world for us is not romantic but elemental. The words that are replacing them in children's dictionaries and literature (chatroom, database, vandalism, voicemail) are important but must not displace the names of nature that must continue to give meaning to the lives of children and adults, lest we displace ourselves entirely from the non-human world.

[Subhashini Raju · Rating 5 out of 5]

#goodreads2026

#book2of2026

The Keeper of Wild Words

Written by Brooke Smith

Illustrated by @madelinekloepper

Published by ChronicleKids books

Book Pick from @kahaani.box

Thank you @kavyachittur1 for choosing this book for us :)

When Mimi finds out her favourite words - simple words, like apricot,blackberry, buttercup - are disappearing from the English language, she elects her granddaughter Brook as their Keeper.

The only way to save words is to know them.

Words disappear if we don’t share them when we talk.
If we don’t write them in our stories.
If we don’t read them in our books.
If we don’t use words, they can be forgotten.
And if they’re forgotten..
They disappear.

A beautiful book that emphasises on usage of more words, simple words.

#childrenbookillustrator
#bookpickoftheday
#bookreviews
#subhareads2026

[Suebee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the concept of this book. We as homeschoolers are all about getting out in nature (even now during quarantine, finding open nature trails) and studying the natural world on a weekly, even daily basis.

The author sought to restore some wonder about the natural world by creating a grandmother character ("Mimi") who teaches her granddaughter about the starlings and the apricots and the lavender and mint and so on. The author was spurred to do this after reading a news article that stated over 100 words had been removed from a youth dictionary that related to the natural world.

It could have used a little more 'magic' or something to pull the plot along, but it was beautifully illustrated.

[Jane Healy · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this beautifully told and illustrated contemporary story, a non-stereotypical grandmother (not rocking, not cookie-baking, not walking with a cane, not hair in a bun) engages her granddaughter in observing nature and writing down words for what she sees, so that nothing will be lost. I like that it shows the importance of language, observing, and nature. I like the intergenerational aspect, as grandmother passes the responsibility to the granddaughter and they share in the enjoyment of keeping the wild words. The collage illustrations show the two in action and picture some of the wild words that children may not know. This could easily become a relationship-enhancing project between a grandmother and grandchild in real life.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any book that is a story about a grandmother and a grandchild is one I will love and this is one of those, a heartfelt story written by Brooke Smith who explains at the end she saw that certain words from nature, like 'minnows' and 'mint' and 'monarch' had been struck from The Oxford Junior Dictionary as being less relevant for children today. Thus, this Grandma Mimi and her granddaughter goes on a journey to find and become "keepers" of the list. Heartbreaking to read about, but these two, with gorgeous illustrations by Madeline Kloepper, lead us on a journey to keep those words. There is a wonderful "envelope" at the end that invites us readers to keep our own "wild words". What a special book, for you at home or you at school!

[Margaret]

As children, if we are fortunate, there will be someone young or old who will ignite a spark within us for the natural world. They will teach us to notice and value every aspect of the landscape around us. We will learn everything large and small, seen and unseen, has a place. The Keeper of Wild Words (Chronicle Books, March 10, 2020) written by Brooke Smith with illustrations by Madeline Kloepper presents an affectionate relationship between a grandmother and her granddaughter. This relationship blooms into an appreciation for and preservation of words and what they represent.


My full recommendation: https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/...

[Alina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful book. This is a great story for adults, not sure about kids because my child is still too young for this book. I came into the book thinking something different than I got, which is all right because we are lucky enough to be given an inspiration story at the end.

The real love of this book is the meaning in the title. You (the reader) become the keeper of wild words. This book is filled with words from the natural world that are apparently so uncommonly used that they are not being taught to children anymore. This really surprised me and made me appreciate the story even more from its simplicity and great use of vocabulary.

[Kailee Schenkenberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am quick to jump past the author’s notes, glad I stopped to smell the flowers on this one! Natural words being removed from our children’s resources? Made me go back and read this book with a whole new meaning! Nature is the foundation of our youth, it gets them mobile, free and adaptable to the world around them. Giving them resources to research what they come across is an important aspect. Thank you to Brooke for bringing this to my attention. Now I haven’t research if our words are still part of the OJD but I asked my kids to make their own list:
-creation, trees
-forts, hunting, meat, hide n seek, deer, sand
-deer, tadpoles, bear

[Raven Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

I say this is a 5, but is more of a 4.8 due to a little hiccup for me. The fact that Brooke is the name of the child and author seems heavy handed. However, regardless if this is based on a true story or not, maybe naming the child Robin, Willow, Rose (etc) might have been less daunting. But despite this bump, this is a lovely poem about words, about family, about sharing, about nature. It might not be meant to be a "poem-poem" but it is a lyrical song-like story. It is poetic. And the illustrations are the perfect addition to the text. They are soft, with interestingly enough bold colors.

[Abby Johnson]

Brook and her grandmother make a list of "wild words", words that are disappearing from today's children's dictionaries in favor of more modern and tech-oriented words, and go on a forest walk to find and identify them. While I'm not actually scared that children will forget the word "acorn" (there are many other avenues to learn words besides a children's dictionary, which is by necessity going to have a limited vocabulary), this picture book celebrates the natural world and may inspire families to put together a wild scavenger hunt or photo safari of their own!

[Wan Ting · Rating 5 out of 5]

We create the world we want to see. Wild words or should I say nature words should be recognized, see and celebrated for their beauty, their light and the life they bring for all of us! This book is such a beautiful reminder of the beauty in nature that is around us wherever we live, if only we take the time to look.

Lastly this is such an apt book to introduce children to the nature around us, sparking discussion and perhaps a family trip outdoors to spot and name the wild words in our midst.