Alphamaniacs: Builders of 26 Wonders of the Word

The ebullient charms both of Fleischman's breezy accounts and of the work of those profiled are considerable...for anyone who enjoys words, or books themselves, there's much to love here in the catalog of serious and silly ways in which language and letters have been deployed, reworked, analyzed, and improved on. The backmatter includes source notes and a list of resources for "Further Entertainment." Marvelously diverting.

Thoughtful design elements extend into the back matter, where stylish alphabet blocks set off sources and bibliographic notes. Roaming today’s school hallways are tomorrow’s philologists, and the Alphamaniacs may be just the Dream Team to inspire them.

Each individual is given a brief chapter recounting their word-related exploits, interleaved with colorful, collaged illustrations by Sweet that look like stray pages from an artist’s overstuffed sketchbook, incorporating relevant quotes and amplifying Fleischman’s themes of abundance and possibility. A unique amalgam, one that will charm many.

The stories...are told in a playful, conversational style, supplemented by Sweet’s gorgeous mixed- media illustrations that, along with an attractive layout and high-quality paper, result in a beautiful object of a book...an alluring gift for dedicated word nerds.

It’s a quirky little gift to word lovers...The book is colorful and lavish with drawings, paintings, and prints. The wit and joy that went into the creation of this title is evident.

In an age driven by images, this book is an anomaly. Its audience is language lovers. Even though Fleischman’s gushing writing style gets in the way of his own love for the subject, the book has unusual appeal and is beautifully produced.