Big Words for Little People

Written by Jamie Lee Curtis

Narrated by Jamie Lee Curtis

Big Words for Little People, by the #1 New York Times bestselling author Jamie Lee Curtis, helps little people communicate in a big person's world.

With grown-up words like cooperate, respect, patience, and considerate, a large, boisterous family celebrates the power of language and discovers that words—big or little—are the bridge that connects us all.

I know some Big Words.
I'll teach them to you. 
Although you are small,
you can use Big Words too.

Big Words aren't scary.
They're big fun to learn.
I was taught once
and now it's your turn.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Sep 9, 2008
• ISBN: 9780061658235

Jamie Lee Curtis

Jamie Lee Curtis has had many firsts: her first (and only) marriage to Christopher Guest, her first time holding her children, Annie and Tom, her first time pretending to be a customer in an episode of Quincy, and her first time she wrote words that became her first book. She lives in Los Angeles, the first city she ever lived in, and is always first in line, first to arrive, first to leave, and first to sleep.

Reviews for Big Words for Little People

[librarianryan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The duo has done it again. This book is like a dictionary only it has rhyming good fun. Sometimes as adults we use big words and forget that littles may not understand them. This book does a great job of defining words kids might hear everyday such as patience, inappropriate, and privacy.

[abigailadams26 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Author Jamie Lee Curtis offers a celebration of words in this rhyming picture-book, which also functions as a confidence booster for young children. "I know some Big Words. / I'll teach them to you. / Although you are small, / you can use Big Words too." So begins the rollicking text, which introduces concepts ranging from "stupendous" to "inappropriate." In the end, however, the biggest words of all - Family, Respect and Love - aren't necessarily the longest...Big Words for Little People is the second picture-book I have read from celebrity author Jamie Lee Curtis and illustrator Laura Cornell - the first was I'm Gonna Like Me - and of the two, it is definitely the one I prefer. Although there were a few awkward moments, where I felt the word order of specific sentences was juggled, in order to shoehorn in a rhyme, overall I thought the text scanned well. I also appreciated the fact that the message of affirmation here wasn't quite as blatant as in that earlier title. The illustrations are colorful and full of energy, with lots of amusing little details - the little bits of writing on books and other objects in the paintings - that add to the fun. Recommended to anyone looking for picture-books that build vocabulary. Perhaps to be paired with one of the Fancy Nancy books, which also work to introduce children to a wider lexicon...?

[ebecker13 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This realistic fiction book is about a kid who learns to use big words such as cooperate, respect, patience, considerate, etc.

[blt012 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

this book is a good book to use for vocabulary. it uses big vocaulary words and uses it towards the students everyday life. Students would love this book because they could learn the word, and then use it rightaway in their everyday life.

[missbrandysue · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a book in verse about all the big words you can use throughout life as a child. The fancy illustrations of the words might make it difficult for young children. It is definitely better as a read-aloud rather than an independent book for kids. But what a great message!

[gdesano_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great way of making learning big words fun. This is a great book for teachers who are looking for a fun and educational way to show their students larger and more complex words.

[julieah_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Big Words for Little People is a fun and educating picture book that invites children to use big words in their everyday lives. Curtis uses rhyming verse to explain the meanings of big words, not only in size but also in meaning. Cornell’s illustrations and brightly colored letters help the reader understand not only new vocabulary words such as appropriate, considerate, and persevere, but also when readers may encounter them. This book would be a perfect edition in a classroom library, and very appropriate to begin a conversation on the use of vocabulary in writing. This would also be a great lead into a discussion about the lessons of love, respect, and family that are included in the book.

[kpalmer07 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book has an episodic plot and is more focused on teaching vocabulary. It does tell a story in a sense, but kind of not at the same time. It advocates for children and tells of different situations in which children can use big words such as intelligence, patience, appropriate, responsibility, irate, etc. In the end it tells of 4 small words with big meanings like family, love, and respect.Media: Wash and Ink

[mcprice_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Big Words for Little People, is a good book to teach children new words. It tries to teach children words that might be scary to them. Like the word intelligence, it explains the words and ways to use it.

[hnhowell-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is good for early readers and helps with fluency and vocabulary. This book gives children the exposure to larger words and gives them experiences with them. This book helps children develop a motivation to read it over and over again.

[baachan_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In Big Words for Little People, Jamie Lee Curtis and illustrator Laura Cornell present longer vocabulary words, each with an explanatory passage and corresponding illustration. A selection of the "big words" included in the book are: impressive, privacy, cooperate, understand, disgusting, and intelligence. Curtis has rhymed the text, which works well when reading aloud. The illustrations are a delightful mix of ink and watercolor; the outlines of all the shapes are sketched out with pen and then filled in with a satisfyingly imprecise watercolor scheme. I enjoyed how the illustrations seemed to present a controlled chaos, both in the images depicted and in the illustration style. Though I don't think kids will be able to incorporate these new words into their vocabulary after just one reading, Big Words exposes young readers to the included vocabulary, and may help them to recognize it in conversations with grown-ups. And after several readings, children may pick up one or two words that they can then use on their own. Recommended for public and elementary school libraries.

[patsila · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. It take everyday character words that are generally above our children's heads like celebrate, consequence, cooperate, persevere, and explains them in a very basic, easy-to-grasp way using rhyme.This will be one that we read over and over and over again for a very long time.The only thing I can say negative about this book, and it is SO teeeeeny and just a matter of preference, is that I wish they didn't use the word pee. They could have substituted "potty" or go "tee-tee" instead. Then again, I'm sure there are plenty out there who find pee less offensive than the options I suggested, which is why I say it is a matter of preference and definitely doesn't make or break for me :)

[ermilligan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This would be a good book to use with kids around the age of 5 or so. It talks about important words like love, trust, and patience and what they mean or how you may earn them. I think that it is a good creative way to talk to them about the various words.

[cshipley1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book explores different "big" words and their meaning. For example, respect,love, patience. "Patience is the word you must find." A good book to teach children the meaning of important words.