Merriam-Webster Children's Dictionary: Features 3,000 Photographs and Illustrations
This top-selling dictionary featuring 35,000 updated words, phrases, images, and authoritative content from Merriam-Webster is a must-have resource for elementary school children.
This new edition of DK's Merriam-Webster Children's Dictionary has a fresh design with color-coded page borders for each letter of the alphabet, and modern photographs and illustrations that give a lively, accessible look at the entries. Each entry is fully explained with its definition, usage, examples, and notes on spelling and punctuation. Word senses have been refreshed to reflect modern usage, and maps and country statistics have been updated to include new countries, cities, borders, and flags.
Merriam-Webster Children's Dictionary is an excellent visual reference resource for kids to have on-hand as they work through school assignments and learn important research skills.
Reviews (163)
Broken Book
I purchased this item for my students (as a resource) and won't even have the opportunity to have them use it. The dictionary is poorly made, and the binding was completely compromised with the pages barely holding to the spine (see pictures). I live abroad so I cannot exchange it, and I am stuck with this poorly made book. I have been unsuccessful in my attempts to reach someone for help, so I am leaving this feedback to assist anyone else considering the purchase and concerned about the quality of the book.
I wouldn't recommend for children
I bought 10 of these dictionaries for my classroom, which is a 3rd and 4th grade combo class. It's been 2 weeks and 3 of the bindings are completely destroyed. They are huge and hard for them to carry. I wouldn't recommend for children.
Good content, PREPARE to TAPE your copy back together
Bought this for use by older children on a regular basis. We all like the up-to-date pictures and definitions, and it has met our older elementary vocabulary needs so far. The paper is medium-low quality but the ink is bright and the print easy to read for young learners. BIG PROBLEM: the binding is so low quality that within 3 days of light use (indoor, on desk, by civilized humans with book respect), the body of the book started peeling out of the covers, and the base and top of the spine parts of the cover are coming apart. The book was also poorly packed for shipping so it arrived with bumped corners. Come on DK: You have a good reputation for high quality books--please bind them so they'll last longer than a week. I'd pay half again as much for a better-bound copy (we paid $21). If you plan to buy this book for a shelf deco, look no further; if you need a reference dictionary, for children, look elsewhere or buy a roll of heavy duty repair tape to keep your copy together.
Falling apart during FIRST gentle use
The binding started coming apart with the first use. I read the reviews prior to orderimg this. Many clearly warned of this happening. I wrongly assumed that these buyers had simply mishandled the book. It is rather thick and heavy and would surely fall apart if not used on a flat surface. However, we had it opened on a flat surface and it came apart from proper and basic use... Aside from THAT...the actual content is great and the images used are very engaging for a student.
Many words not found
Update: We ordered the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Could not be happier. Will be soon ordering the Oxford American Writer's Thesaurus in the next few weeks. My ten year old son loves the American Heritage Dictionary. He finds it much easier to navigate, understand and does not get discouraged because the words he needs to find are found in it. Unlike the Merriam Webster Children's Dictionary where time after time, the words were not in the book. Typical words found in 3-5th grade. The American Heritage Dictionary will last his lifetime. Excellent investment. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Many times my son exhaustively searches for a word, its not there. For example: analogy, not contained in this dictionary. Now is this a common word for a fourth/fifth grade student? I could go on and on, but you get the picture. Many terms in elementary math, geography, grammar, science is not contained in this dictionary. At least 40% of the time, the word is not contained in this dictionary. Its difficult to motivate, and this dictionary actually discourages. We went with American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition and Oxford American Writer's Thesaurus. My son has grown and is inspired using a real dictionary.
Excellent book for developing interest of learning English
I am a Chinese, I brought this book to China as new year gifts for my nephew (6 years old). He said this the best gift he has ever received! He may not understand most words, but I am pretty sure that the beautiful and interesting figures in this dictionary will help to develop his interest of learning English. Hope one day when he speaks fluent English with appropriate words, he can remember it is his uncle me who give him this dictionary.
Great addition to any grade school home library
I love this dictionary. I bought it for my 2nd grader old to combine with his Sylvan Workbook homework routine. This has been a wonderful addition and adds variety to his daily homework schedule. I love that there are color and graphics on every page and clear definitions that aren't too watered down so that even an early grade school student can understand. Don't misunderstand though, this packs plenty of punch for even a middle school learner. Some of the other things some of the other reviewers mentioned are so minuscule, you most likely wouldn't even notice. Buy it!
Perfect for my 2nd grader!
My daughter is in Second grade now and the teacher requested that she have a dictionary at home. I decided to go with this one and I am really glad that I did. There are pictures inside as well. My sister mentioned that now a days you can just use the internet but I feel that you lose something by just typing in the word and getting the definition.. This will help them with learning to file and look information up. I feel this will be a good dictionary for her for the next few years. She actually just sits there and starts reading from it like a story book!
Terrible Construction
I bought two of these to take as donations to school libraries on a remote island in the Pacific. For that purpose, the content is great. The definitions are understandable and the pictures are great. But, the construction of the book is total garbage. Before I even arrived at the island, the spines of the books had separated from the pages. I don't think these dictionaries will last more than a month, which is a disgrace as I paid $50 in tiny airplane excess baggage fees (they're 7.5 lbs each!) to get them there. I understand the race to the bottom with pricing, but I suppose my review will confirm that you have, in fact, hit the bottom. Please consider making these dictionaries FOR children in the future. As it is, they can only withstand a very carefully curated life on a desk. (I have a photo of the broken spine but don't see any way to attach it.)
Look it up!
I've never talked to my kids using words other than what I'd use speaking to an adult. Whenever they'd ask what a word meant, I always told them to look it up. When they told me it'd be easier for me to tell them, my response was if they looked it up themselves they'd remember it. Their friends learned the same way in my house. Now that the grands are at the beginning stage of..."Look it up!", I thought I'd get a dictionary for them.
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