'Spirited portrait of the Swiss-born Victorian who found an ingenious way to help people say what they mean.' 'From its busy end pages this lively book brings to life a creator and the words he was fascinated by.' Expertly researched and well written, Bryant’s narrative not only details the creation of the thesaurus it also conveys a sense of Roget the man. Busy and exuberant, Sweet’s charming watercolor illustrations, layered over collages of vintage images and fonts, capture Roget’s passion for classification while also providing readers new opportunities for discovery.

will gain a greater appreciation for the reference tool in this beautifully designed picture book biography of its creator, Peter Roget. School Library Journal (STARRED review) 'In brilliant pages teeming with enthusiasm for language and learning, Bryant and Sweet joyfully celebrate curiosity, the love of knowledge, and the power of words.' Injecting her watercolor palette with shots of teal, scarlet and fuchsia, Sweet embeds vintage bits (ledger paper, type drawers, botanical illustrations and more), creating a teeming, contemplative, playfully celebratory opus. Sweet tops herself - again! - visually reflecting Roget's wide range as a thinker and product of the Enlightenment. Together with Bryant's sympathetic account, Sweet's gentle riot of images and words humanizes the man behind this ubiquitous reference work and demystifies the thesaurus itself.'īryant's prose is bright and well-tuned for young readers.

'Sweet envisions Roget's work as a shadow box crammed with the wonders of the natural world, adorned with exuberant hand-lettered typography.

The right word by jen bryant