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Rating: 
Summary: Fun Facts
Review: It sounds like a good idea; 300 "wacky" word origins. (The Amazon entry says "500;" the book jacket says 300.) Unfortunately the authors are using an alternate meaning of "wacky." This is "irrational." The errors were embarrassingly easy to spot. "News" is _not_ an acronym from north south east west. It comes from the same word as "new"--and is the same root in French (for which an acronym will not work) and has been used way longer than we've had a literate population that used acronyms. Their origin of Nome, Alaska, doesn't agree with the one on the Nome, Alaska home page--you'd think the people of Nome would know. And so on and so on. It's as if the book was written based on conversation around a bar. And that would be fine if it were billed as fiction, but it is not ok in a book that is marketed as fact. The brand name origins seem to check out, but that is little consolation. There was even an error I found in the "old and forgotten" words. (There may be more than one; did not look everything up.) Perhaps they could re edit this book with just the brand names. It gets two stars for being entertaining and easy to read. Also, the Jared Lee illustrations are great fun. The poor people who embarrass themselves by quoting from it are to be pitied, but not as much as the students who base homework on it and get penalized for inaccuracy. Another reviewer "works in a library;" I am a librarian and will be using this book on tours to illustrate a poor source.
Rating: 
Summary: Why make a fictitious fact book?
Review: It sounds like a good idea; 300 "wacky" word origins. (The Amazon entry says "500;" the book jacket says 300.) Unfortunately the authors are using an alternate meaning of "wacky." This is "irrational." The errors were embarrassingly easy to spot. "News" is _not_ an acronym from north south east west. It comes from the same word as "new"--and is the same root in French (for which an acronym will not work) and has been used way longer than we've had a literate population that used acronyms. Their origin of Nome, Alaska, doesn't agree with the one on the Nome, Alaska home page--you'd think the people of Nome would know. And so on and so on. It's as if the book was written based on conversation around a bar. And that would be fine if it were billed as fiction, but it is not ok in a book that is marketed as fact. The brand name origins seem to check out, but that is little consolation. There was even an error I found in the "old and forgotten" words. (There may be more than one; did not look everything up.) Perhaps they could re edit this book with just the brand names. It gets two stars for being entertaining and easy to read. Also, the Jared Lee illustrations are great fun. The poor people who embarrass themselves by quoting from it are to be pitied, but not as much as the students who base homework on it and get penalized for inaccuracy. Another reviewer "works in a library;" I am a librarian and will be using this book on tours to illustrate a poor source.
Rating:
Summary: Fun Facts
Review: This is a great book for any kid that likes interesting facts. It really does cover a wide range of topics. As an adult working in a library, I found that I couldn't put it down. I had to go out and get my own copy, and copies for my nieces and nephews.
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