I loved this book so much! Eddie is a curious little boy who is fascinated by words and how they came to be used the way they are today. His best friend MJ, lives next door. Meaning the two spend a lot of time together, even though their interests aren't always in alignment. One special day Eddie wonders about the word pajama's and where it comes from; Upon hearing the question Eddie's mother gives the pair a gift they never expected by suggesting they go find the biggest book full of words and their meaning and origin. Upon finding this book a wonderful entertaining and educational adventure begins.


Written for an early middle-grade audience, this book incorporates many illustrations with short chapters providing, newly confident readers can easily and confidently move from one part of the story to the next, drawn in by both the compelling text and the detailed visuals. Readers with an interest in travel, history, and language will dive headfirst into this riveting adventure.

Throughout the narrative, specific words are featured in bold text, indicating their inclusion in a glossary at the end of the book. There, readers will find a pronunciation guide, a definition of the word, and an explanation of where the word originated, which takes an entertaining book and turns it into a brilliant way of teaching children in a way that is fun for them.

With an eye catching cover, a great title, and the promise of adventure this book is sure to call to young readers and is sure to earn its place on every child, parent and teachers bookshelf..

Highly recommended!

Eddie and his best friend MJ are having one of their weekly fun-filled sleepovers and as they're getting ready for bedtime Eddie wonders where the word pajamas comes from. His mom directs them to Eddie's great grandpa's book, in which he has compiled a list of thousands of words along with explanations of their origin. The book ends up being more than it seems at first glance and transports Eddie and MJ to India where they have to help Dev, a maharaja's grandson, to solve a mystery and unearth a hidden treasure. The book comes in handy during their treasure hunt as many of the clues they have to solve conveniently involve figuring out the meanings of words.

The plot is wildly crazy and some things don't really make sense but this book reminded me of cartoons I enjoyed watching as a kid that could be described in the same way. Reading about our sleuths solving the clues was fun and each time we were introduced to the origins of a few new words. It's an interesting way to give a lesson on etymology. To make things more exciting, the kids have to compete with a bad guy who's also on the hunt for the treasure.

I read an advance reader's edition so I don't know if the final illustrations are in colour but even the black and white version adds so much to the story.

There were a few things I felt could have been improved on but otherwise a fun read. Looking forward to seeing what the rest of the series brings us.

Very cute mystery for lower MG/upper EL students: learn about India's history, play with words and try to solve the clues. I can see this being a series.

ARC provided by publisher.

Great for your more reluctant readers OR for Word Nerds like me! Entymology is a HUGE piece of this mystery. The characters must figure out meanings of words to solve the mystery! This is an #ownvoices book and has diverse characters and culture.

I received this ARC from Source Books Kids. This book is perfect for kids who enjoy mysteries and adventure. This series will be a great read for those who are interested in learning about countries and the origin of words. Targeted to younger kids (7+) and will also be a great hi-lo book, especially with the fun artwork throughout.
I can't wait to share this and for the next one!