Calvin Gets the Last Word

by Margo Sorenson, Mike Deas (Illustrator)

Overview

The dictionary as narrator? YES!

Calvin's dictionary is proud to be carried everywhere Calvin goes—the breakfast table, school, baseball practice, and home again—because Calvin is determined to find the perfect word to attach to his annoying older brother. The word isn’t exactly revenge, mayhem, bewilderment, subterfuge, pulverize, or even retaliation, though all those words are so close and very tempting. When Calvin finally finds the right word for his rascally brother, his dictionary is surprised and delighted, and readers will enjoy celebrating the triumphant discovery of Calvin's perfect word along with his dictionary.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780884488224
Publisher:	Tilbury House Publishers
Publication date:	10/06/2020
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	1,118,060
Product dimensions:	10.20(w) x 9.30(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	7 - 10 Years

About the Author

Margo Sorenson (Rancho Mission Viejo, CA) raised two daughters and taught middle and high school before becoming a full-time writer. She is the author of more than 30 books for children from toddler age through high school.

Mike Deas (Salt Spring Island, British Columbia) worked as a concept artist, texture artist, and art lead in the video game industry in England and California before returning to his native Canada. He is the illustrator of The Buddy Bench, Gloria’s Big Problem, and Calvin Gets the Last Word.

Editorial Reviews

"In her funny and unique mashup of sibling rivalry and vocabulary, Margo Sorenson offers kids an engaging story of the singular type of love brothers share uncovered little by little through word-building. Calvin’s dictionary makes a sincere and charming guide through high-interest words that lend panache and nuance to events throughout Calvin’s day even if they don’t quite describe his brother. Astute kids may notice that the words the dictionary chooses for Calvin’s brother proves his loyalty to his favorite reader. Calvin’s spewed milk, whispered secrets, and home run batting add up to a real kid that readers will love. The words that the dictionary finds are fun to learn and say and will spark an enthusiasm in readers to do their own flipping through the dictionary and thesaurus. Sorenson’s endearing ending rings true with a word kids are sure to embrace.

Mike Deas’ glasses-wearing and sweat suit-clad Calvin, whose dictionary is always at the ready to define his experiences, is a character readers will respond to. Images of the sprayed milk and broccoli, rockin’ school bus, library story rug, and baseball field are full of familiar details and plenty of action. As Calvin prepares to play his trick on his brother Deas gives kids a cutaway view of the house from above, letting them tiptoe through the maze of rooms with Calvin. The final scenes of the brothers checking out the dictionary together in the light of a bedside lamp is sibling devotion at its best.

A delightful family story that can stir a love of language, Calvin Gets the Last Word would be a favorite addition to home libraries. The book is highly recommended for school and classroom bookshelves to enhance language arts, writing, grammar, and vocabulary lessons and for public library collections as well."

Celebrate Picture Books - Calvin Gets the Last Word

"As a word nerd, I *love* that the narrator of CALVIN GETS THE LAST WORD is a DICTIONARY! Hilarious story and fun illustrations." —tweet from Debbie Ridpath Ohi

From the Publisher

"A book's-eye view of a young boy's love of words — a tale told by his well-worn dictionary."

Book About Books - New York Times Book Review - Jennifer Krauss

2020-07-28
Calvin loves words and takes his dictionary with him everywhere he goes in order to ensure that he knows the right word to describe every situation—especially those involving his brother.

When he wakes up in the morning, Calvin brings the dictionary to the breakfast table, where he showers it with milk that shoots out of his nose after his brother tells a joke. He even reads it in class instead of paying attention to the teacher. Throughout the day, Calvin browses his dictionary in search of the perfect word and finds words like mayhem, subterfuge, and pulverize. While each word makes him think about his brother, none seems to be the perfect fit. After a long day, Calvin lands on his word, slips out of bed for a glass of water, and tiptoes to his brother’s room to repay him for the jokes. This lighthearted tale of two brothers who enjoy reading will make a wise choice for classroom lessons about using a dictionary and thesaurus. The words that Calvin looks up are set in brightly colored boldface type, and while they are not actively defined in context, their meanings are clear from the narrative. (Definitions and phonetic pronunciations are scrawled on the endpapers, as if on a chalkboard.) The dictionary itself narrates, but it is not depicted with any anthropomorphic features (i.e. a face or arms) or behaviors (i.e. walking), though it does mention its bent spine and riffling its own pages. Calvin and his family have light-brown skin and black hair. (This book was reviewed digitally with 9-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at 75% of actual size.)

A fun story that promotes vocabulary development and dictionary use. (Picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews