中文简介：

通过语言的棱镜讲述世界的历史，从莎士比亚到安妮·弗兰克，从马丁·路德·金到格雷塔·唐伯格。

本书探讨了人类利用语言将思想从一个大脑传递到另一个大脑的独特能力。本书以生动的叙述方式，通过语言的棱镜展示了世界和人类发展的历史，向读者介绍了塑造人类交流方式的文明、发明和文字工作者。

本书分为多个主题章节，探讨了什么是文字，以及人类如何使用口语和手势进行交流；书面文字和书写工具的发展，包括纸张、手稿和印刷书籍的历史；全球畅销书和知名图书馆；学习其他语言的过程；方言和口音以及语言反映我们身份的方式；语言在安抚、激励、召集人群和统治国家方面的力量；涂鸦在传播信息方面的作用；密码和发明的语言；诗歌的模式；词语的未来，包括表情符号；以及濒危语言。

英文简介：

A history of the world told through the prism of language, from Shakespeare to Anne Frank, Martin Luther King to Greta Thunberg.

A History of Words for Children explores the uniquely human ability to transfer thoughts from one brain to another using words. Written in a lively narrative style, the book presents a history of the world and human development through the prism of language, introducing readers to the civilisations, inventions and wordsmiths who have shaped the way we communicate.

Divided into themed chapters, the book explores what words are and how humans communicate using spoken language and sign; the development of written scripts and writing implements, including paper; the history of manuscripts and printed books, including worldwide bestsellers and famous libraries; the process of learning another language; dialects and accents and the way language can reflect our identity; the power of words to calm, inspire, rally crowds and rule nations; graffiti's role in spreading messages; codes and invented languages; the patterns of poetry; the future of words, including emojis; and languages facing extinction.