I Love Words

Challenging kids to experiment with words and writing, this interactive book, designed to look as though it was written in freehand, resembles a very busy school notebook. Open-ended writing assignments (“What are your favorite magic words?”) appear alongside musings about language (“You're ugly,” “You stink,” and other phrases appear on knives beneath the heading “Sometimes, words hurt”). The book first came out in France, and a few activities get lost in translation: a spread asks kids to correct errors on food packages, and the answers are neither given nor apparent. A couple of suggestions may raise some eyebrows (such as creating fake swear words and a writing prank involving toilet paper), but kids will appreciate the occasional edginess. Ages 8–12. (Mar.)