Abracadabra to Zombie, More Than 300 Wacky Word Origins

Abracadabra to Zombie, More Than 300 Wacky Word Origins by Don and Pam Wulffson, illustrated by Jared Lee

Lollipops — How come they're called that?

Smokey the Bear — Was he a real bear or just a made-up one?

Pearl Jam — How did the group come up with such a strange name?

From the clothes you wear to the things you eat, from the sports you play to the movies you see — behind the name of everything in your life, there's a story.

Perfect for trivia fans and word lovers of all ages, Abracadabra to Zombie features more than 300 surprising, bizarre, and often hilarious stories behind how things we take for granted got their names.

Book Details:

• Number of Pages: 160
• Book Size: 6-1/4" x 8-1/4"
• Book Type: Hardcover with Dust Jacket
• Recommended Ages: 9 and up
• ISBN 10: 0525471006
• ISBN 13: 978-0525471004

"This alphabetically arranged volume introduces readers to the history of more than 300 familiar words and phrases in an amusing and straightforward style. The entries cover the origins of many popular terms and brand names, including sports teams, states, cars, food, rock stars, fictional characters, and real people. For example, by looking under "Peanuts," children discover that the Planters Company standardized the word in the early 1900s and that the character Mr. Peanut was based on a 14-year-old boy's winning entry to a drawing contest. The marigold was named Mary's gold in honor of the Virgin Mary during the early crusades. A section of "Forgotten Words" presents colorful terms such as "flepper" (the lower lip) and "zowerswopped" (ill natured). Whimsical black-and-white illustrations appear throughout, along with additional facts in cloud-shaped insets. Although the entries are short and contain only basic information, they will surprise and delight readers, and may encourage further research into the subject." — School Library Journal

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This is a fun and entertaining book, and is a good introduction to word origins. Information about the names for the states, the days of the week, and the months of the year are also included.