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Thanks to everyone who responded to my request. What a great group!  Here is
the hit:

Although I'm no longer a DK rep, I still love the DK Oxford dictionary.  It
is $50 list, so find it on sale.  I gave one to each of my exchange student
"children" this year (I have 2 now.)
Merriam Webster's 10th Collegiate is still the spell bowl dictionary of
choice.

I'm in a K-5 library and use Random House unabridged.  I find it easier for
the kids to use than Webster's.

I evaluated a dictionary for one of my MLS classes that I used in my
classroom when I was an English teacher and really liked.  Here
is the info:

DICTIONARY

Macmillan dictionary for students (1984).  Revised ed.
New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

PURPOSE
This dictionary is appropriate for young adults in middle school or early
high school.  It provides definitions that are easy to understand for this
age level and includes the necessary part of an entry to
provide sufficient information to the user.

AUTHORITY
Published by Macmillan, a reputable publisher of educational materials.
Includes a list of names of editorial and consulting staff and subject area
experts.  With a 1984 copyright date, this dictionary may not include recent
“buzz words” related to technology.  Otherwise, language does not evolve
quickly enough for the copyright date to be an issue.

SCOPE
Contains 90,000 entry words and 120,000 definitions. Specially designed to
reflect current American usage;has added new words that have entered the
language in recent years, and also focuses new meanings that old
words have acquired.  Includes etymology for 19,000 entries.  Includes lists
of notable people, places,organizations, and events.  Words are chosen for
inclusion on the basis of: 1) the language of literature, history and
science studied in school; and 2) the language of everyday speech and
conversation.

FORMAT
Volume of over 1,000 pages; extra wide.  Sturdy construction will withstand
student use.  Large, but not too cumbersome for middle school students and
above.  Entries arranged in two columns.  Bold-faced
guidewords and entry words aid in easy retrieval of desired information.
Each page is numbered.

ARRANGEMENT
Includes a Guide to the Dictionary, instructions on how to Look Up a Word,
and a description and examples of all 19 entry features.  Also includes:
list of abbreviations; table of English spellings; and a
pronunciation key.  Entries are arranged alphabetically.  The back of the
book features a reference section that includes:  charted information on the
history of languages; a style handbook that
includes punctuation, capitalization, and numbers; a list of U.S. Presidents
(name, political party,vice-president, years served, date of birth); an
illustrated listing of milestones in U.S. history; a section on computers;
and a glossary of computer terms.

ENTRIES
Entries including information about: spelling, pronunciation, abbreviations,
prefixes, suffixes,idioms, definitions, example sentences, plurals,synonyms,
and usage notes.

SPECIAL FEATURES
Contains a table of contents and guide to the dictionary section that
explain the parts of the entries and how to use the dictionary.  Includes at
least one illustration on nearly every page to enhance
understanding.  The section associated with each letter of the alphabet is
specially shaded on the edges of the pages to aid in the process of looking
up words efficiently.  Includes charts, tables, timelines
and glossaries in a reference section at the back of the book.

USE
This source works well for a middle school or high school library or
classroom, or for the children’s/young adult section in a public library. It
answers such questions as:  “What is the origin
behind the word coffee?” and “What meanings are associated with the word
grave?”

OVERALL EVALUATION OR CRITIQUE
This dictionary is perfect for middle school and early high school students.
  It is simpler to understand than collegiate dictionaries, but more
advanced than dictionaries designed for grade school students.

I like Scholastic's dictionary, often included in book order forms.

Scholastic’s first dictionary is great for k-2.

We use American Heritage picture dictionaries (picture & first levels) for
the lower grades and the 3-5 teachers seem to like their Lincoln Writing
Dictionaries.

The Merriam-Webster ones are good, as are World Book, Random House,
Webster's New World has been my favorite since college Frosh Eng
(1959!), American Heritage; these are all high school,we're grades 9-12.

We have a staff person who says that Cassell's Spanish-English dictionary
is the best Spanish dictionary to have.  She does a lot of interpreting
for Spanish speaking families new to our community.  Cassell's is
available through World Almanac, as well as other jobbers.

I would recommend that you investigate the possibility of obtaining a
dictionary for any First Nation language native to your area, as well as
one for speakers of English as a Second Language (ESL).

We use the Scholastic Children's Dictionary for our 2-4th graders.  I also
have a class set for games in the library.

Merriam Webster's new collegiate dictionary. -- Springfield, MA :
Merriam Webster, 1997.
    ISBN 0877797099
    1. Dictionaries.


                                                9642529

American Heritage college dictionary/3rd edition. -- Boston :
Houghton/Mifflin, 1993.
    ISBN 0395446384
    1. Dictionaries.


                                                9242124

Visual dictionary of animals. -- Dorling Kindersley, 1991.
    ISBN 187943119X
    1. Animals--Dictionaries.
9160901

Fergusson, Rosalind.
    Rhyming dictionary. -- NY : Penguin Bks, 1985.
    530p.
    1. Rhymes--Dictionaries. 2. English language--Rhyme.

Isler, Charlotte.
    The Watts teen health dictionary / by Charlotte Isler and Alwyn T.
Cohall ; with illustrations by David Kelley. -- New York : F. Watts,
c1996.
    191 p. : ill ; 26 cm.
    Variant Title: Teen health dictionary
    Includes bibliographical references (p. 164-168).
    A dictionary of health terms designed for teens.  Includes
appendixes on hot lines, medications, street drugs, health care
specialists, and other suggested reading materials.
    ISBN 053115792X
    1. Popular medicine--Dictionaries. sears. 2. Health--Dictionaries.
sears. 3. Teenagers--Health and hygiene. sears.

Webster's new world children's dictionary/edited by Victoria Neufeldt.
-- NY : Macmillan, 1997.
    896p.
    An illustrated dictionary, featuring selected word histories,
synonym studies, lists of words with prefixes or suffixes, and spelling
tips.  Includes lists of presidents, states, weights and measures, state
birds and flowers.
    ISBN 0028618882
    1. English language--Dictionaries.

Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary/deluxe edition. -- Springfield,
MA : Merriam-Webster, 1998.
    2337p.
    includes index.
    ISBN 0877797145
    1. English language--Dictionaries.

Webster's Spanish-English, English-Spanish dictionary. -- 1992 ed. --
Miami, Fla : P.S.I. & Associates, 1992.
    255 p. ; 21 cm.
    Title on cover: New Webster's Spanish-English, English-Spanish
dictionary.
    "This book is not published by the original publishers of Webster's
Dictionary, or by their successors.
    ISBN 0938261096 (pbk.)
    1. English language--Dictionaries--Spanish. 2. Spanish
language--Dictionaries--English.

Webster's Third New International Dictionary


C. Connally/LMS
McKenzie School
McKenzie, AL
lc_connally@hotmail.com





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