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Favorite kids' dictionary?

post #1 of 6
4/9/10 at 9:57am
Thread Starter 
DD is writing a lot these days and likes to spell things correctly. She reads at about a 4th grade level, though she writes more like a 2nd grader, I'd say. Rather than her constantly asking me for spellings, I thought it would be nice to get her a kids' dictionary to use. Any recommendations? She would probably enjoy one with neat pictures.
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post #2 of 6
4/9/10 at 10:51am
Our library has a wide selection of dictionaries in the juvenile section. You may want to check a few of those out and see what she likes.

There is a difference between a children's dictionary and a student dictionary. A children's dictionary typically has more illustrations, but doesn't cover every word. A student dictionary has fewer illustrations, more complex definitions, but covers most words in the language.
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post #3 of 6
4/9/10 at 1:49pm
I spent a lot of time looking for the perfect kid dictionary for my 9yr old niece last year. I ended up buying a kid's Scholastic dictionary, but honestly, I should have just bought her a nice, standard dictionary. Many of the words she wanted to look up were not even in the kid's dictionary. For an older child I would get a standard dictionary. I think children's dictionaries are good to use with a younger child. I think they're a good tool to introduce the concept of a dictionary.
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post #4 of 6
4/9/10 at 4:04pm
Thread Starter 
For clarification, DD is 6, but an advanced reader. I don't think she has used a dictionary before.

had not thought of the library--duh!!
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post #5 of 6
4/9/10 at 5:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by loraxc View Post
had not thought of the library--duh!!
lol! I'm a big fan of try before you buy.

Another thought - if she's new to the concept of using a dictionary, a children's dictionary might be a good place to start. The print is also bigger. However, she'll likely outgrow it quickly. FWIW, we really like American Herritage Student Dictionary, and we have an Encarta Dictionary for even more fun, but we did start with a children's dictionary because it was much more simple to use.
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post #6 of 6
4/11/10 at 1:10am
Merriam-Webster's Primary Dictionary perhaps? It says it's for grades K-3, and the one above that is the Elementary Dictionary.
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