The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus - A Review

Bryant, Jen. 2014. The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus. Ill. by Melissa Sweet. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing. ISBN 0802853854

Both informative biography and work of art, The Right Word tells the story of Peter Roget and how his need to make order of the world resulted in the creation of the famous thesaurus. Readers see Roget in various stages of his life, beginning with the early and impactful loss of his father. Bryant's expertly crafted text highlights Roget's love of language and his passion for learning, while also telling a satisfying story. Word lists and synonyms are expertly placed throughout the book, framing the text artfully. 

A timeline, bibliography, and author/illustrator notes add a delicious layer of richness to the book. Sweet offers stunning front and back endpapers, along with delicately sketched lettering, creative backgrounds, and vivid illustrations that are best enjoyed at a leisurely pace.  Advice for readers: catch everything and miss nothing.

The Right Word is the right book for any nonfiction picture book collection. 

Bryant and Sweet have created yet another masterful work, having previously collaborated on A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin (Knopf, 2013), a Sibert Honor Book and winner of both the Orbis Pictus Award and Schneider Family Book Award in 2014.