The world’s most curious monkey investigates new words in this lively picture dictionary for young children.

Curious George’s Dictionary is an engaging picture dictionary specially designed for children from preschool through first grade. Both entertaining and educationally sound, it features charming illustrations and reflects recent research in early childhood literacy, setting it apart from other picture dictionaries.

The main part of the dictionary is an A-Z section containing approximately six hundred words, six words to a page. Each word is illustrated with a full-color drawing, most of which have been created for this book by the popular illustrator Mary O’Keefe Young. More than half the illustrations include a sample sentence that puts the word in a familiar context.

A four-page illustrated story at the front of the book shows George learning how to look up words in his dictionary, drawing children in while introducing them to dictionary skills. At the end of the book, seven one- to two-page illustrations present groups of words related by simple themes such as colors, shapes, and numbers.

Developed in collaboration with educational consultants, the word list includes not only concrete objects but many more abstract concepts, like discover and enough, than do other picture dictionaries. Such words are essential for vocabulary development, and Curious George’s antics bring them alive, making them easy and fun for children to learn.