WORDS
The story begins by likening words to people: specifically, the way each word is unique and lovely just the way it is. Every word does something no other word can, and when different words meet, “Words are like kids / Who see each other / And begin to play.” The author underscores the anxiety words can produce and acknowledges the way we sometimes can’t find the right ones and say the wrong thing: “Words can feel shy / And hide when we need them.” Some words are angry and frightening in some contexts, and in others, the same words can heal by naming the things that are scary. Davis-Gibbon notes that speaking the truth with words is brave and commendable. Berry’s whimsical pencil-and-watercolor illustrations abound with hidden words disguised as characters and objects. Readers will enjoy looking for all the words buried in the full-page pictures; flower, for example, is depicted using blooming plants in a garden. This balance of text and images will undoubtedly delight kids, and the presentation of the text makes for an easy read. The narration retains its accessibility and clarity as it builds gradually from words to simple metaphors to the emotional consequences of words to the ending, which tackles the complex notion of speaking out and speaking one’s truth.


The story begins by likening words to people: specifically, the way each word is unique and lovely just the way it is. Every word does something no other word can, and when different words meet, “Words are like kids / Who see each other / And begin to play.” The author underscores the anxiety words can produce and acknowledges the way we sometimes can’t find the right ones and say the wrong thing: “Words can feel shy / And hide when we need them.” Some words are angry and frightening in some contexts, and in others, the same words can heal by naming the things that are scary. Davis-Gibbon notes that speaking the truth with words is brave and commendable. Berry’s whimsical pencil-and-watercolor illustrations abound with hidden words disguised as characters and objects. Readers will enjoy looking for all the words buried in the full-page pictures; flower, for example, is depicted using blooming plants in a garden. This balance of text and images will undoubtedly delight kids, and the presentation of the text makes for an easy read. The narration retains its accessibility and clarity as it builds gradually from words to simple metaphors to the emotional consequences of words to the ending, which tackles the complex notion of speaking out and speaking one’s truth.