Dear Readers, You may not know me, but I know you ...I am - the WORD SPY. I have been in hiding for many, many years, but the time has now come at last for me to emerge from undercover and share some of the secrets I have learned in my many, many years as - the WORD SPY.
Oh - there goes another word. I must be off! Follow the WORD SPY as she uncovers the secrets of the English language. Discover the meaning of acronyms (like ATM and CD), cliches (such as 'pretty as a picture') and spoonerisms ('Would you like a belly jean?'). Find out the history of the alphabet, punctuation, pen names and plurals. Learn how to trick your friends by speaking in Pig Latin or rhyming slang ('I'm going out to ride my bike on the frog and toad . Want to come?'). Full of games, puzzles, facts and riddles, The Word Spy is an entertaining, quirky and enlightening look at the English language. Ursula makes words fun!
About The Author
Ursula Dubosarsky is widely regarded as one of the most talented and original writers in Australia today. She is the author of many outstanding books, both for young adults and for children, and has won numerous awards for excellence. Abyssinia was winner of the 2004 South Australian Festival Award for Literature - Young Adult. It was also shortlisted for the Ethel Turner Prize in the 2004 NSW Premier's Literary Awards, the Queensland Premier's Literary Award - Young Adult and the NSW State Literary Award - Young Adult. In 2006 Ursula won both the NSW and Victorian Premier's Awards for Theodora's Gift. In 2007 The Red Shoe won the Queensland Premiers Award, the NSW State Literary Award -Young Adult, and was an Honour Book in the CBC Book of the Year Award: Older Readers. Ursula lives in Sydney with her family. She has recently earned a PhD in English literature at Macquarie University. Tohby Riddle is the award-winning creator of picture books such as The Singing Hat, The Great Escape from City Zoo and Irving the Magician (all three were shortlisted for CBC Picture Book of the Year and more), and the cult favourite, The Royal Guest. In 2008, Tohby illustrated The Word Spy by Ursula Duborsarsky, which won the Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children's Literature in the 2009 NSW Premier's Literary Awards and was an honour book in the 2009 CBC Book of the Year awards. A much-anticipated second book, The Return of the Word Spy, was published in May 2010.