The Linguistics of Cooties (and Other Weird Things Kids Say)
The game of cooties lets children learn about the idea of contagion, but kid culture and wordplay aren't meant for adults.
The Fairytale Language of the Brothers Grimm
How the Brothers Grimm went hunting for fairytales, accidentally changed the course of historical linguistics, and kickstarted a new field of scholarship in folklore.
In Children’s Books, How Much Reality is Too Much?
While children will undoubtedly counter myriad difficulties as they navigate life--and it does them a disservice to pretend otherwise--exposure is a double edged sword.
In Celebration of Lost Words
At some point in their lexical histories, lost words' original meanings died and have been revived into a mere semblance of their former selves.
The Man Whose Snowy Day Helped Diversify Children’s Books
Jack Ezra Keats's 1962 book The Snowy Day featured an African-American protagonist, a first for a full-color children’s book.
Beverly Cleary, Age 100
American author Beverly Cleary turns 100 this week. Explore her world and legacy through classic characters like Henry Higgins and Beezus and Ramona Quimby.
Yas Queen! It’s the Spelling Reform School for Wayward Words
Debates over English spelling reform have existed for centuries.