The second I saw this book, I knew I had to review it! What could be more apropos for an editor like me than a book about words? And truly, this picture book did not disappoint.
Swiss power-duo Rebecca Gugger and Simon Röthlisberger wrote and illustrated the story of Oscar, a boy who uncovers a chest full of jumbled up words, which he quickly begins assigning to different objects and animals… with surprising results! The tale relies heavily on the illustrations to bring definitions to life in hilarious ways.
Oscar’s tale highlights the power of words and the magic they bring to our lives, no matter how big or how small. Ranging from “fluorescent” to “pear-a-licious” and everything in between, this young boy—with the help of a kindly neighbour—learns to find his own collection of words by listening, smelling, tasting, touching, hearing, and feeling the wonder of the world around him.
The art itself is beautiful, with slightly muted colours, paper-like textures, and pencil lines reminiscent of a sketchbook. The words from the chest and Oscar’s collection, in their own font, take on shapes and angles that make reading more playful and fun.
Paired with 11 free activities available via QR code, including colouring and word activities that work children’s imagination—this is an excellent book for both passionate young readers and the more reluctant ones, who may just find just the right word amidst the pages of this book.
A Chest Full of Words is translated by Tim Mohr and can be purchased on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
