Wordplay

By Ivan Brunetti. Published by Toon Books. 

Hardcover, 40 pages, Colour, 2017.

Calling all bookworms! Go “outside,” “elsewhere,” and down the “rabbit hole” with this hilarious introduction to compound words. Young readers will fall in love with the English language as they watch star cartoonist Ivan Brunetti put his sly spin on vocabulary. The lesson here? Even “homework” is fun when you let yourself play with the words.

Ivan Brunetti has published several graphic novels and taught courses on editorial illustration and comics at the University of Chicago and Columbia College Chicago. His drawings have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, and McSweeney's, among other publications, and he served as editor for Yale University Press's two-volume Anthology of Graphic Fiction, Cartoons, and True Stories.

Indiana's Young Hoosier Book Award Top 20 List

Might a funny and thoughtful interview between Alex Dueben and Ivan Brunetti tickle your fancy? Click here to read "Ivan Brunetti Returns to Comics with His First Graphic Novel for Kids" on Comic Book Resources >>

★★★ "Throughout, humorous digitally colored cartoon illustrations provide context clues for readers decoding the compound-word-rich text. The use of panels in the well-designed spreads makes it easy to follow the engaging, sequential illustrations. Praiseworthy!"
--Kirkus Reviews STARRED REVIEW

★★★ "An amusing language arts lesson in a comic book format, perfect for individual or small group sharing. What's not to love?"
--School Library Journal STARRED REVIEW

"Brunetti’s use of simple, sequential cartoons turns this basic exercise into a brief, but delightful story."
--The New York Times

"Spacious graphic-novel panels invite readers to spend time with each of Brunetti’s humorous illustrations."
--Horn Book Magazine

"Brunetti buoyantly conveys the joy of diving into newly acquired knowledge and the idea that learning and play aren’t mutually exclusive."
--Publishers Weekly

"This playful graphic novel for early readers offers an entertaining lesson in some quirks of the English language."
--Booklist

"A Sly Spin on Vocabulary. Have you ever seen a home work? A dog with a watch? You will with this funny introduction to compound words."
--Learning Magazine

"The grammar lesson takes full advantage of the illustrated format by showing, for example, what a kid might imagine when hearing 'housework', with a house dusting. As the students think of more compound words, we’re shown multiple levels of language meaning. That also explains the terrific title."
--Comics Worth Reading

"[Our five-year-old] loves the goofy illustrations of a bed with legs walking (sleepwalk), but the payoff comes when we ask him to expound on some examples. He’ll rattle off a series of other compound words that are not featured in the book...The illustrations by Ivan Brunetti also make the book very enjoyable for young readers. It’s retro, but has an entirely modern feel that children will identify with and want to read over and over."
--Daddy Mojo

"It is a hilarious and playful exploration into vocabulary."
--Diamond Bookshelf

"This book is a welcome and entertaining addition to the usual dry readers on compound words."
--Youth Services Book Review

"This is a clever and humorous way to introduce a rich vocabulary of compound words to young readers."
--Mile High Books

"Brunetti humorously encourages kindergarten and first-grade readers to see the meanings behind more complex words that they are just learning."
--AmoXcalli: Fred Patten Reviews​