Book Description

Fun and easy to use, The Junior Illustrated Dictionary & Thesaurus is the ideal choice for upper elementary and middle-school children who are beginning to expand their vocabulary. Comprehensive and authoritative, it defines more than 4,000 words with clear, age-appropriate entries, and also includes a thesaurus with more than 5,000 headwords. Plenty of sample sentences offer further clarification, while the intuitive pronunciation guides make difficult words easy to say. Hundreds of bright photographs and illustrations contribute extra vocabulary information and make this book a verbal and visual treasure trove.
Special features include
•Full-color, high-interest topic boxes provide
an in-depth look at selected subjects and
related vocabulary
•Color-coded guide words and alphabet strings on page edges that make words
easy to look up
•Vocabulary panels
•Definitions clearly identifying parts of speech, different word forms, and alternate spellings
•Information about synonyms, antonyms, and key language topics ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Concise and at the Same Time Revealing Introduction
The idea of a Handbook Encyclopedia for children is always appealing, but also it is a difficult task to acomplish. Imagine if the topic is the still mysterious African continent, its cultural treasures and different nations... nevertheless, the two Haskins and Joann Biondi do it. The alphabetical order makes the topics easy to locate, the language is clear without being condescending and the authors treat some difficult topics like the unfairness towards female children with ecuanimity, and trying to make the young reader understand- not approve- some practices. The incredible variety of African landscape and cultural diversity unfolds in this little Encyclopedia, but as the entries are short (sometimes even laconic) the child never feels overwhelmed by the data. Indispensable for begginers, children who loved The Lion King, or Tarzan and want to know more, or those who want an ample vision of the cultural and geographical riches of Africa. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

queso is not germanic
Mmm , the origin of spanish word "queso" ; italian càcio , portuguese queijo , spanish queso , german käse derives from latin "Caseum"

caseum > queso

baseum > beso

queso is not germanic (as commonly supposed)

DENTRO DE 5 DÍAS i give to you more exemples why queso is not germanic

proverbio griego

madre mia cuanto tontolava hay en la red dios mio incultos , burros...

A fraud in the shape of a book!
This book is not a scholar's tool, and this review awards one star because Amazon does not give you the choice of awarding none. A dictionary with the word "etimológico" in its title ought to give the history of a word, especially if the word's source or root is a word from a different language, yet this book does that for only a very few words. The rare 1% (my humble estimate) of words that are graced with an asterisk have a footnote dedicated to them, and the footnotes are very chatty and uninformative. For example, the word "queso" is of Germanic origin, but there appears nothing more than "food made from milk"! The other 99% of words have nothing more than definitions without any mention of their foreign root. For the many words with Arabic roots, there is mostly no mention of their origin. In its defense, I must say that the book does have five pages of computer terms or "informática", and it does attribute some of them to English. Burning your dollar bills is preferable to wasting them on this book. ... Read more

Book Description

A completely new and original illustrated children's dictionary that offers comprehensive and up-to-date coverage with more than 12,000 entries and 15,000 definitions.Definitions have been carefully written for children, ages 9-12, and include sample sentences that clarify usage questions. More than 200 clearly labeled, informative, full-color illustrations further aid comprehension. Detail-packed entries include multiple definitions, pronounciation and part of speech guides, as well as irregular plural forms, alternate spellings, idioms, verb forms, and syllabication. This convenient pocket dictionary is perfect for using at home or carrying to school. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An excellent reference for grade-schoolers...
I bought this dictionary for my 8 year-old daughter. She took it to school with her (leaving her other dictionary here at home). She kept it in her desk all year long, and referred to it as needed. It hit the spot, and was an excellent choice. If you have a child in grade school, this is a perfect item for them, fitting well into backpack or desk.

Terrific dictionary for my 4th grader.
This dictionary is just perfect for the age group. It gives them what they need to know without losing them with too many details and definitions. It's making language arts so much easier. When was the last time you saw your nine-year-old son smile when he got a dictionary??? ... Read more

Book Description

The largest mass market Spanish/English, English/Spanish dictionary available3.3 million Signet copies in printIncludes over 70,000 entriesMore thatn 3,000 entries have been addes, expanded, or rewritten to reflect contemporarySpanish vocabulary ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Muy bueno
Este libro es excelente para los dos inglés e español estudiantes.¡Compras ahora!

One of the most popular Spanish Dictionaries
This second edition has over 3,000 new entries and translations which reflect recent changes in business, technology, medicine and other areas. This mammoth dictionary is a very user friendly resource which not only gives the translation, but also the context, and in many cases, the appropriate idiomatic expression.

I had the first edition of this dictionary back when I took high school Spanish in the 1970's. I loved it then, and when I recently made the decision to take up this beautiful language again, I picked this dictionary from among several choices.

This is an essential reference addition for anyone learning Spanish, whether on your own, or as part of a class.

Fantastic dictionary for English and Spanish speakers
This is the best dictionary of all the dictionaries that I have purchased over the years. I use my current one daily and am buying one for one of the mothers of my bilingual class so that she can learn English along with her child. Everyone who has seen this dictionary has wanted one. I will always check here first. Thanks

HANDY--BUT NOT FOR LITTLE HANDS
As a 3rd grade bilingual teacher, Spanish/English dictionaries are a must in the classroom. This volume is more than adequate--you are certain to get your money's worth, as far as finding the exact "sense" of the word you are looking for. The only problem, is that it is quite thick for a paperback volume. It is one of those books where you hold down the excess with your opposite forearm while trying to judge the thickness of how much to turn in order to get to the desired letter with the fingers of both hands. If you have little fingers using it, it will very quickly curl up from both front and back. If you are a backpack-toting dictionary-hauler, or if you read anywhere other than at a flat surface while using your dictionary, it might be a little easier going to to Merriam Webster's--which is a bit smaller in thickness, but works quite well. I have found the New World dictionary even bulky for me--a petite adult. As far as content quality, however, there is no better buy for the money.

Very comprehensive and helpful to the beginner
I am just learning Spanish and I needed a good reference dictionary. I find this one to be very easy to use and it provides expanations so that I can quickly understand what I need to know. It has over 1000 pages of text going in both directions. ... You just can't beat the price for what you get here. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Clear, easy to read, this one is a winner!
My fourth grade daughter struggles to "look up" words in a dictionary. The small print and cluttered format frustrated her to tears. Then we stumbled upon this treasure. The clean typeface, blue colored entry words, and generous use of white space, made this dictionary easy to use. We gave a copy to the LD classroom teacher at her school. The teacher was thrilled - students find this dictionary much more "user friendly" than those provide by the school.

Uncluttered, easy to read lay out makes this one a winner!
My fourth grade daughter struggled to "look up" words. Dictionaries she could use often didn't contain the words she needed. Others were so visually confusing she would give up in frustration. Then we stumbled upon this treasure. With a clean type face, contrasting color for entry words, and intellegent use of white space, she could finally find the word she needed by herself. We donated a copy to the LD classroom at her school. The teacher was thrilled - none of the dictionaries provided by the school were as "user friendly"! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An introduction to the cross-cultural comparison of myths
Actually, "The Children's Dictionary of Mythology" is slightly more ambitious than what the title suggests.This volume is closer to an encyclopedia than a dictionary since many of the entries are several paragraphs long.The idea behind these 300+ entries is to invite cross-cultural comparisons: virtually ever culture represented has its creation myth detailed within these pages.This is intended as a general introduction to mythology, which is distinguished from religion by the editors.Judeo-Christianity is basically reduced to the creation story (i.e., Adam and Eve in the garden), while the rest of the entries cover not only Greek and Roman (i.e., classical) mythology, but ancient Egypt, Summeria, India, Japan, China, Australia, the South Pacific, Africa and the Americas.

In addition to the standard entries, stories about characters, such as Adventures of Theseus and the Journey of Pele, and important cultural myths, such as Cherokee Creation Myths and Incan Flood, are highlighted.These features appear in colored boxes near a character's alphabetical entry or close to the story's alphabetical order.Most of the entries are cross-referenced that will point young readers to related subjects discussed elsewhere in the book.Within these pages young readers will find elements from several mythological traditions.In addition to dozens of deities and characters, many of which you can readily find elsewhere, the strength of this book is it facilitates comparative mythological analysis by covering themes of mythology (Quest, Creation, Afterlife, Flood) and recurring places in mythology (City, Labyrinth, Underworld)."The Children's Dictionary of Mythology" also has entries on sources of mythological narratives from the "Epic of Gilgamesh" to the "Enuma Elish," and mythological events like the "Cattle Raid of Cooley" and "Jason and the Golden Fleece."

I do not think I would have been happier with this book if it had been a true dictionary, with two or three times the entries because none of them were more than a paragraph long.I am leaning at this point to wishing the book being organized by the themes it isolates, because that is were it makes the best case for cross-cultural comparisons.Still, with a little effort, teachers can put together those units on their own.The selected bibliography provides a list of books by culture for further information.For teachers putting together a mythology unit for younger students, this book is an ideal first place to look for not just information but also ideas.

A visually striking reference work
Overall, I was favorably impressed by "The Children's Dictionary of Mythology," edited by David Adams Leeming. The book is full of entries from "Achilles" to "Zeus." It is an ambitiously multicultural work which includes the mythology of many regions: Africa, the Middle East, Australia, North America, the South Pacific, India, Japan, etc.

Each entry is a short, informative essay. Some entries, like "African Mythology" or "Animism," are general in nature, while others focus on specific deities, heroes or relevant cultural phenomena. Some sample entry topics are "Book of the Dead," "Coyote," "Dikithi" (a Bantu trickster), "Kali," "Lilith," "Quetzalcoatl," etc.

One of the book's strongest aspects is its rich assortment of full-color illustrations. There are many photographs of artwork of all types: a Hopi cloth, a sculpture of the serpent-headed Medusa, a stained-glass window depicting Sir Galahad, a knife handle carved to represent the trickster Raven, a wooden statue of the Chinese goddess Kuan Yin, Egyptian paintings, and much more.

A note to the reader declares, "Myths are sacred tales about gods, goddesses, heroes, and heroines." Thus I was puzzled by the book's failure to include many important figures from Jewish, Christian, and Islamic sacred narrative. Yes, "Adam" and "Eve" are included, but there are no articles on "Abraham," "Moses," "Jesus," "Mary," and others. Yet the editors include figures from other living religions, like Hinduism. Certainly, by the book's own definition of myth, the excluded figures merit entries. This selective process of inclusion and exclusion left me somewhat dissatisfied with the book. Despite its flaws, however, this book is an admirable reference work for young readers. ... Read more

Book Description

Developed by a team of language experts, educators, and reference book consultants, "Berlitz Kids Picture Dictionaries" make learning foreignlanguage words and phrases easy and enjoyable for children up to age nine. Eachis packed with colorful illustrations of lovable characters in hilarioussituations. Full color. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Children's Comic Book Dictionary
If you purchase this book believing it is a dictionary, it is not.It is essentially a comic book and does not organize words in an alphabetical fashion, rather it is organized into cartoon situations and appliesspeaking phrases to them.If you are looking for a word dictionary, thisis not it.Also, "diction" defines pronunciation attributes aswell as word selection.This book contains little pronunciation help, aswould be expected in a "dictionary".The book is written at lessthan a sixth grade level.This would be an excellent book for children,but not for adults.

Excellent cartoon illustrated book to build up vocabulary.
There is a set of these Usborne Beginner's Dictionaries (German/French/Spanish/Italian).They are reasonably priced.I have been using the German book.They are illustrated with humorous cartoons.Vocabulary is dividedup into specific situations with the pertinent vocabulary i.e. appearance and personality, buying food, at the postoffice, politics. If one has a basic knowledge of German grammar, this book is great aid to brush up on vocabulary in specific situations without having to go through a regular dictionary to find specific words for specific situations.Great for children as well as adults. ... Read more

Book Description

Come explore dinosaurs from the inside out!The prehistoricspecies comes in many forms, shapes, and sizes. ... Read more

Book Description

A feast of information for young children.

More than 50,000 words arranged alphabetically. Difficult plurals and parts of verbs spelled out in full. Alternative spellings listed. Helpful spelling rules explained simply. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Open Sesame Pictury Dictionary
Other teachers and I love this book! It has helped many students transition from Spanish to English with friendly characters that they love. I would recommend this to anyone helping a student find the words to express their knowledge! ... Read more

Book Description

Historians and patriots alike will appreciate this fantastic collection of pictures and stories describing the most intimate war this country has experienced. By analyzing everything from the weapons they used to the uniforms they wore and even the food they ate, Union and Confederate soldiers come to life in this historic retelling of the Civil War. Full color photographs of authentic artifacts, including military issue handguns and rifles, highlight the prolific text of John Stanchak, a Civil War expert. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

I like it, I like it!
I purchased this book when I was looking for something that would illustrate the different artillery pieces and guns used in the War Between the States. I must have looked at 20 different books in local bookstores but could never find exactly what it was I wanted. I like this book because it gives a basic diagram of the article being shown. Even though I know the parts of a gun and the way they work, I like to see that information spelled out so there's no confusion.

If you have even a passing interest in what life was like for the common soldier, this book should be on your bookshelf!

Worth buying for the pictures alone...
This dictionary is packed with superb, full-color photographs, plus thousands of terms and historical facts from the Civil War. While war is not high on my list, I did find it fascinating to learn more about what actually happened.

John Stanchak is a respected historical writer and was the editor of Civil War times for almost 15 years. He is involved with the American History Magazine and recently wrote Private Soldiers & Public Heroes which is a photo history of Civil War soldiers.

This visual dictionary looks at the weaponry, uniforms, everyday life, personal dramas and historical realities of the Union and the Confederacy. You will see more than 250 outstanding color photographs, read concise text and have instant access to a large specialized vocabulary. There is a comprehensive Index .

You will learn about foot soldiers, gunners, horse soldiers, sailors, elite units, black troops, Southern leaders, Northern leaders, hand guns, blades, rifles, big guns, firing the cannons, camp life, personal articles, medicine, slavery, prisoners of war, communications, flags, railroads, aerial observations, ironclads, unusual weapons and souvenirs and relics. There are pages of Confederate and Union flags.

While slavery in the United States was not the cause of the Civil War (the main issues were states' rights) there is a section on slavery. Slavery did bring some issues to a head. Slavery is just horrifying and it boggles my brain as to how anyone who calls themselves civilized could keep slaves.

A great lesson for us all. Treat people with the respect they deserve and we should teach young people to value kindness over killing, repress our violent impulses, eliminate our personal participation in violent movies which don't promote the value of human life and support organizations which have it as their mission to eradicate violence on the planet.

When you read Stephen Cranes poem entitled: Do Not Weep Maiden, For War Is Kind, you see how ironic the poem really is.

Do not weep, maiden for war is kind. Because your lover threw wild hands towards the sky And the affrighted steed ran on alone, Do not weep, War is kind.

I can also highly recommend "Wisdom of the Ages" by Wayne W. Dyer. Perhaps something he says in his book will help us all to become more enlightened and stop war before it begins.

Visual Dictionary Terribly Inaccurate
I purchased this book as a gift for the young son of a friend of mine who has recently become interested in the Civil War. Fortunately, I decided to read it, and after discovery of the errors previously cited( by my predecessor on this review )on the dust jacket, I delved into the book itself, where I proceeded to find nearly one hundred errors of various types, some leaving out information,such as not identifying rifled artillery shells, others giving false or incomplete information such as a model l840 heavy dragoon or cavalry saber being called a light cavalry saber(m1860). Other errors are far too numerous to cite here, but include a surgeon's "mallet" with the implication that the "hatchet edge for cutting away bone" was intended to chop, when the "Heyes saw", it's proper name, has saw teeth and is used in an entirely different manner. So it goes throughout the book, with error piled upon error until it's value, even with the superb photos of nice relics, artistic layout and good narrative, is greatly reduced. One would almost wish for a magic wand to correct the copies in the store before they are bought by the unsuspecting public.

I should point out that these are not just my opinions, but those of others with whom I have shared the book as well, and some are more experienced in the field than I, though I've been collecting and studying the Civil War for 45 years. Certainly a revision is to be hoped for, as the book could be of value as an introductory volume especially if some of the more basic items, such as a Parrott rifled cannon or 3inch ordnance rifle(its ordinance in the book)were pictured, and the mistakes in word use and/or spelling corrected.

Disappointment.
Because of the high praise and rave reviews I had previously seen, I expected a lot from this book. To some extent, it delivered, but in many ways, it failed miserably. The cover is a good example. On the cover there is a picture of a gun, with the label, 'Spencer Carbine.' Well, it is actually a Sharp's carbine. There also is a knapsack photograph on the cover, and in the label, an arrow points to the leather bedroll. Well, again for those who know, it is not leather, but it is a rubberized gum blanket, which was standard issue to Union soldiers.

Since this book made two obvious, and elementary mistakes on the cover, I cannot give it any type of positive review. Some of the other photos and info are interesting, and it does show some things seldom seen. It would be of interest to the novice, but to those in the know, various other factual errors also occur throughtout the book. If these mistakes could be corrected, I would give it a high review. Otherwise, all I can do is say that I was extremely disappointed. It is difficult to educate with incorrect information. Maybe I am being too harsh, but that is how I see it.

Visually Mesmerizing
The photographs in this book seem to jump off the page and grab the readers attention. Interesting facts and stories surround the pictures and add a personal touch to complement the interesting historical facts. From a picture of an actual flattened cannonball that had been shot at the Merrimac to a soldier's letter to home to the jacket of Major Merwin with the missing right sleeve the real life details makes the reader feel like they are experiencing a part of history. This book is ideal for the Civil War buff or to interest the student just beginning to learn about it. ... Read more