The Book of Languages - by Mick Webb (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

We use language all day, every day - probably without thinking much about it. But if you stop and consider it, language is not only extremely important, it's fascinating, too! Use of language is one of the key things distinguishing humans from other animals, and nearly 7,000 languages are spoken around the world. Without it, we'd be hard pressed to communicate, express ourselves, or understand others.

The Book of Languages begins with an introduction to why language is important, how it originated and how it changes. From there, the book profiles 21 of the world's languages. Each spread showcases a language's history, where it's spoken, what it looks like and how to speak a few phrases and count to ten. Rounded out with sections on non-verbal and animal language, this book will stimulate readers' curiosity about the world and spark appreciation for language learning.

Review Quotes

"A solid springboard book for introducing new languages and countries."-- "School Library Journal"

"An appealing choice for kids intrigued by languages or geography, this clearly written book will fill a gap in many library collections."-- "Booklist"

"Children will come away from this quick but sweeping linguistic look-see able to exchange greetings and a "How are you doing?" with anyone (almost) anywhere in the world."-- "Kirkus Reviews"

"Recommended."-- "Canadian Review of Materials"

"Takes readers on a whirlwind linguistic tour."-- "The National Reading Campaign"

"This is a very well-laid out book, using bold headings and colorful boxes to portray the information on each page."-- "Resource Links"

"Webb provides a solid introduction to world languages using charts, sidebars, and maps... Would-be polyglots ought to find it 'Harika!' (that's Turkish for great)."-- "Publisher's Weekly"

About the Author

MICK WEBB is a travel writer and languages consultant who previously worked in broadcasting at the BBC. He was editor of the BBC Languages website and won a BAFTA for the interactive language-learning drama, Mi Vida Loca, which taught Spanish to beginners. Mick now lives in multicultural South London with his family, and as well as learning Croatian (to supplement his French, Spanish, and Italian), Mick is trying to understand the language used by their two cats.