What do you think?
Rate this book
Donavan #1
Donavan's Word Jar (Trophy Chapter Books
The classic story about the power of words
Donavan Allen doesn’t collect coins, comics, or trading cards like most kids. He collects words—big words, little words, soft words, and silly words. Whenever Donavan finds a new word, he writes it on a slip of paper and puts it in his word jar.
But one day, Donavan discovers that his word jar is full. He can’t put any new words in without taking some of the old words out—and he wants to keep all his words. Donavan doesn’t know what to do, until a visit to his grandma provides him with the perfect solution.
76 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1994
41 people are currently reading
264 people want to read
About the author
Monalisa DeGross
6 books4 followersMonalisa DeGross wrote Donavan's Word Jar, Donovan's Double Trouble and Granddaddy's Street Songs. She works at the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore as Project Manager of the Family Reading Circle, where she meets and observes children of all ages. Ms. DeGross lives in Baltimore, Maryland, near her children, Donavan and Nikki, and her grandchildren, Shaundrea, Annalisa, and August. In addition to her work as an author, she is also a locally celebrated playwright.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
July 2, 2022
Monalisa DeGross was never a full-time writer. A staple of the children's public library scene in Baltimore, Maryland, she only authored a few books, the first being Donovan's Word Jar in 1994. Third-grader Donovan Allen wants to be a collector, but isn't sure what he should collect until the morning he notices a long, unfamiliar word on a box of cereal: "nutrition." Donovan likes how the word elegantly leaps off the tip of his tongue. He spots other interesting words on the way to school, and decides to become a word collector. Whenever a new one grabs his attention, he jots it down on a slip of paper and pops it into a jar, looking up the meaning first. Donovan's collection grows as he adds words from street signs, newspapers, and elsewhere. One day he goes to deposit a word in his jar, only to find it brimming with paper slips. He wants to continue collecting, but wouldn't dream of removing any of his words. What's a young lexicographer to do?
Donovan's mom suggests a bigger jar, but that would only be a temporary fix. What happens when he fills that one? His schoolteacher, Mrs. Panky, recommends that Donovan compile a dictionary to house his expanding collection, but it will be years before he has the resources to publish a reference book. Donovan consults his dad, who is painting a sign in the basement for the roofing business he's about to open. Preoccupied as he is, he mulls over Donovan's dilemma before offering a solution, but it's not quite the right one. Maybe Grandma will know what to do.
Yes, Donovan will visit Grandma at the Mellow View Apartments to get her take on the issue. He's ready to head over the next morning, but his mom needs Donovan home today. His little sister Nikki is sick in bed, and their parents are too busy for the next few hours to take care of her. Donovan resigns himself to big-brother duty, trying to distract Nikki from how crummy she feels, but what she really wants is something Donovan has so far refused: a peek inside his word jar. She promises not to keep any words, or do them harm, so Donovan reluctantly retrieves his jar from the shelf high in his room and presents it to Nikki to randomly draw a slip of paper from. Are there "get-well" words in there, as Nikki hopes? She pulls out "ABRACADABRA" and Donovan pantomimes some prestidigitation as a clue for her to figure out the word's meaning. A little magic can zap cold symptoms into oblivion, Donovan claims, and Nikki says she already feels better. She knew his jar could do the trick.
A late start over to Grandma's apartment is better than no start at all. Donovan liked her old house better, back when Grandpop was alive, though at least she lives close now. Most residents of the Mellow View Apartments are elderly, and their apathy for life makes Donovan uneasy. He hopes it never rubs off on Grandma, or himself. Grandma invites him into her cozy apartment with its wall of family photos and hodgepodge of collectibles. He presents the problem of his word jar, but she isn't sure what to do about it. Disappointed, Donovan almost leaves the building before remembering he was supposed to invite her to dinner at his house, but when he and Grandma head back down to the lobby, he's in for a surprise. His word jar! Donovan forgot it in the lobby when he ran back up to invite Grandma. Several apartment residents are examining its contents, passing the slips of paper among themselves. What does Donovan think of strangers handling his collection? Even Grandma is concerned at the sight of her neighbors and the gruff security guard, Mr. Bill Gut, pawing through Donovan's beloved words. It takes a moment for Donovan to see the scene with unbiased eyes: a group of elderly men and women, usually listless and fatigued, are suddenly showing vigor. Donovan's words have reminded them how fun it is to engage with fresh thoughts and reminisce on experiences they have in common. Perhaps the solution to his overcrowded jar is in front of him, if he's willing to rejigger his expectations.
Language is a fertile valley of variegated words that can be harvested and enjoyed like sweet strawberries, crisp apples, refreshing cucumbers, or savory tomatoes. Writers use words to reveal life's joys and sorrows, the glorious pungency of human story that connects our hearts through shared emotions and experience, but you don't have to be a storyteller to leverage the potency of words: a simple, sincere expression of kindness, encouragement, intellectual stimulation, or personal challenge can transform another person's outlook, feeding their hopes and dreams or spurring them on to make changes they know they should have made long ago. Donovan realizes this when he sees the effect his word jar has on the apartment dwellers. "But, Donnie, they didn't give you anything for your words", Grandma gently reminds him. Donovan understands this isn't true. "Yes, they did. They made me feel like a magician. My words changed them." Who could hope for more than the privilege of your words doing good in the world? It's not the slips of paper that make Donovan's word jar special, but the potential for what's written on them to bless others. Words are like pure water from an underground well: not meant to be hoarded, but drunk from deeply and freely shared, trusting that it will refill. Donovan will find more words for his jar, and when it overflows, giving them away again will feel just as satisfying.
Labeling Donovan's Word Jar a classic is a stretch, but the story is packed with simple truth expressed memorably, a love song to why words mean so much to us. It's hard to let go something you have invested time and energy into, but when the moment comes for Donovan to reassess his word jar, he has the wisdom to not be so fixated on the physical collection that he misses the point of gathering words in the first place. We would do well to abide by his example. Cheryl Hanna's illustrations are warm and affectionate, reminiscent of Leo and Diane Dillon's award-winning work, and they suit the story to a T. Monalisa DeGross penned a sequel, Donovan's Double Trouble, so if you'd like to revisit these characters and their author, you have that opportunity. I rate Donovan's Word Jar two and a half stars, but I'll round to three. It's a small delight of a novel, and I'm better for having read it.
Donovan's mom suggests a bigger jar, but that would only be a temporary fix. What happens when he fills that one? His schoolteacher, Mrs. Panky, recommends that Donovan compile a dictionary to house his expanding collection, but it will be years before he has the resources to publish a reference book. Donovan consults his dad, who is painting a sign in the basement for the roofing business he's about to open. Preoccupied as he is, he mulls over Donovan's dilemma before offering a solution, but it's not quite the right one. Maybe Grandma will know what to do.
Yes, Donovan will visit Grandma at the Mellow View Apartments to get her take on the issue. He's ready to head over the next morning, but his mom needs Donovan home today. His little sister Nikki is sick in bed, and their parents are too busy for the next few hours to take care of her. Donovan resigns himself to big-brother duty, trying to distract Nikki from how crummy she feels, but what she really wants is something Donovan has so far refused: a peek inside his word jar. She promises not to keep any words, or do them harm, so Donovan reluctantly retrieves his jar from the shelf high in his room and presents it to Nikki to randomly draw a slip of paper from. Are there "get-well" words in there, as Nikki hopes? She pulls out "ABRACADABRA" and Donovan pantomimes some prestidigitation as a clue for her to figure out the word's meaning. A little magic can zap cold symptoms into oblivion, Donovan claims, and Nikki says she already feels better. She knew his jar could do the trick.
A late start over to Grandma's apartment is better than no start at all. Donovan liked her old house better, back when Grandpop was alive, though at least she lives close now. Most residents of the Mellow View Apartments are elderly, and their apathy for life makes Donovan uneasy. He hopes it never rubs off on Grandma, or himself. Grandma invites him into her cozy apartment with its wall of family photos and hodgepodge of collectibles. He presents the problem of his word jar, but she isn't sure what to do about it. Disappointed, Donovan almost leaves the building before remembering he was supposed to invite her to dinner at his house, but when he and Grandma head back down to the lobby, he's in for a surprise. His word jar! Donovan forgot it in the lobby when he ran back up to invite Grandma. Several apartment residents are examining its contents, passing the slips of paper among themselves. What does Donovan think of strangers handling his collection? Even Grandma is concerned at the sight of her neighbors and the gruff security guard, Mr. Bill Gut, pawing through Donovan's beloved words. It takes a moment for Donovan to see the scene with unbiased eyes: a group of elderly men and women, usually listless and fatigued, are suddenly showing vigor. Donovan's words have reminded them how fun it is to engage with fresh thoughts and reminisce on experiences they have in common. Perhaps the solution to his overcrowded jar is in front of him, if he's willing to rejigger his expectations.
Language is a fertile valley of variegated words that can be harvested and enjoyed like sweet strawberries, crisp apples, refreshing cucumbers, or savory tomatoes. Writers use words to reveal life's joys and sorrows, the glorious pungency of human story that connects our hearts through shared emotions and experience, but you don't have to be a storyteller to leverage the potency of words: a simple, sincere expression of kindness, encouragement, intellectual stimulation, or personal challenge can transform another person's outlook, feeding their hopes and dreams or spurring them on to make changes they know they should have made long ago. Donovan realizes this when he sees the effect his word jar has on the apartment dwellers. "But, Donnie, they didn't give you anything for your words", Grandma gently reminds him. Donovan understands this isn't true. "Yes, they did. They made me feel like a magician. My words changed them." Who could hope for more than the privilege of your words doing good in the world? It's not the slips of paper that make Donovan's word jar special, but the potential for what's written on them to bless others. Words are like pure water from an underground well: not meant to be hoarded, but drunk from deeply and freely shared, trusting that it will refill. Donovan will find more words for his jar, and when it overflows, giving them away again will feel just as satisfying.
Labeling Donovan's Word Jar a classic is a stretch, but the story is packed with simple truth expressed memorably, a love song to why words mean so much to us. It's hard to let go something you have invested time and energy into, but when the moment comes for Donovan to reassess his word jar, he has the wisdom to not be so fixated on the physical collection that he misses the point of gathering words in the first place. We would do well to abide by his example. Cheryl Hanna's illustrations are warm and affectionate, reminiscent of Leo and Diane Dillon's award-winning work, and they suit the story to a T. Monalisa DeGross penned a sequel, Donovan's Double Trouble, so if you'd like to revisit these characters and their author, you have that opportunity. I rate Donovan's Word Jar two and a half stars, but I'll round to three. It's a small delight of a novel, and I'm better for having read it.
July 16, 2021
Aku membaca buku ini dalam bahasa Inggris, tetapi resensi ini akan kutulis dalam bahasa Indonesia.
Buku ini menceritakan Donavan yang senang mengoleksi beragam kata yang ia temukan di mana saja. Dari iklan di jalanan, dari perkataan orang di sekitarnya, Donavan menulis semua kata yang menarik dan menaruh hartanya di dalam sebuah toples.
Namun, Donavan menyadari bahwa toplesnya tentu akan penuh suatu hari nanti. Donavan pun bertanya dan meminta solusi kepada orang-orang di sekitarnya yang (menurut Donavan) mampu memberikan solusi agar ia tetap bisa mengumpulkan kata-kata yang menarik.
Konflik buku ini yang sangat sederhana membuat buku ini mudah dibaca untuk semua umur. Sebuah penyelesaian yang tak terduga dan memberi makna baru untuk Donavan benar-benar akhir yang sempurna untuk buku ini.
Singkat dan padat, tetapi tidak berlebihan, juga tidak kopong. Buku ini akan memberi pembaca kesan "berharga" dari segi memberi dan menerima. Kebahagiaan bisa datang dari mana saja.
Buku ini menceritakan Donavan yang senang mengoleksi beragam kata yang ia temukan di mana saja. Dari iklan di jalanan, dari perkataan orang di sekitarnya, Donavan menulis semua kata yang menarik dan menaruh hartanya di dalam sebuah toples.
Namun, Donavan menyadari bahwa toplesnya tentu akan penuh suatu hari nanti. Donavan pun bertanya dan meminta solusi kepada orang-orang di sekitarnya yang (menurut Donavan) mampu memberikan solusi agar ia tetap bisa mengumpulkan kata-kata yang menarik.
Konflik buku ini yang sangat sederhana membuat buku ini mudah dibaca untuk semua umur. Sebuah penyelesaian yang tak terduga dan memberi makna baru untuk Donavan benar-benar akhir yang sempurna untuk buku ini.
Singkat dan padat, tetapi tidak berlebihan, juga tidak kopong. Buku ini akan memberi pembaca kesan "berharga" dari segi memberi dan menerima. Kebahagiaan bisa datang dari mana saja.
April 21, 2020
Donavan collects words. He finds them everywhere and writes them on slips of paper he keeps in his word jar. He discovers the power of words when he offers them to others.
Second or third grade novel. Engages readers and emphasizes the power of learning - specifically words and their definitions.
Second or third grade novel. Engages readers and emphasizes the power of learning - specifically words and their definitions.
January 10, 2013
Too cute - I loved this book and think it is a wonderful book to teach to a class of second or third graders - maybe even have my own classroom word jar! :)
June 22, 2018
My daughter loved this book so I borrowed it from her and read it. I loved what a simple, sweet, and still fairly realistic story about the love of words and the amazing power of words this is. It would be a great chance to talk about the power that our spoken words have, and how we can resolve problems with nothing but words. Anything that inspires a love of literacy is great in my book, and the author does a good job of making it clear that the love of words stems from inside Donovan--no adult forces it on him, though he does choose to ask some of them for help when his collection grows too big. They all give him good ideas for what to do with his words, but ultimately the decision is Donovan's. I liked that. Kids will likely be inspired to start their own word jars as Donovan does. Heck, you might be too. I'm thinking about doing it myself! I love the idea of putting all of my favourite words into a jar and then pulling them out as story-starters or the germs of poems.
I guess the only slightly negative thing here is that Donovan is said to have fond memories of helping his late grandfather choose cigars, and this is kind of important to the story. I don't think it is anything that a talk with your kid about cigars (if they seem interested or curious) won't counteract though, especially as it is clear that the grandfather was the one consuming them and not Donovan. I doubt most kids even pay any attention to the few lines in question, to be honest. So, not enough for me to take a star off (and before you jump on me, believe me, I have good reason to hate tobacco, as it hastened the deaths of both my grandfathers and made me a sickly child who grew up to be a sickly woman. That kids will probably be okay is my judgment; you may read it and choose otherwise. There's room enough for all of us here).
I guess the only slightly negative thing here is that Donovan is said to have fond memories of helping his late grandfather choose cigars, and this is kind of important to the story. I don't think it is anything that a talk with your kid about cigars (if they seem interested or curious) won't counteract though, especially as it is clear that the grandfather was the one consuming them and not Donovan. I doubt most kids even pay any attention to the few lines in question, to be honest. So, not enough for me to take a star off (and before you jump on me, believe me, I have good reason to hate tobacco, as it hastened the deaths of both my grandfathers and made me a sickly child who grew up to be a sickly woman. That kids will probably be okay is my judgment; you may read it and choose otherwise. There's room enough for all of us here).
December 12, 2019
Any book that makes my 2nd grader ask for a dictionary for Christmas is beautiful to me!
June 30, 2021
Cute for second or third graders. Like the idea of sharing words. Some of the events or things “just happened” without any lead-up.
December 16, 2020
A cute story about the power of words....great for a read-aloud.
July 28, 2018
This is a great story!!! And there are a lot of great activities teachers have created to go with this book...one of which is having a word collecting jar in the classroom...where students write down words they love, along with the definitions...and then as a class, read them and do other activities with them!!! It is great...when a book can inspire!!! This book does that and more...and just in case you wondering...one of my favorite words in cuddle!!! I love to "cuddle" under the covers with my cats when I read!!!
Read
September 15, 2016Have you ever had a collection? Did you collect stamps, rocks, or bottle caps? Well, in the book Donavan's Word Jar, the main character, Donavan, collected words. Big words, small words, fancy words, simple words, written on tiny slips of paper. This book was an interesting read, and I recommend it to anyone looking for a short, heart-warming book.
August 1, 2017
We read this as part of my 8 year old daughter's summer reading program. This is not a book we have chosen on our own. We read a couple of chapters each day. My daughter gives it five stars. This has good story development and conflict resolution. This would be a great book for teaching plot development to 2nd or 3rd graders.
March 2, 2022
I😍this book. I like it so much that I decided to start a word jar of my own. I have not read “Donavans double trouble”. But I bet I will like it
February 14, 2024
This is a book I discovered decades ago because I love to learn new words. I've used this book with classrooms to encourage children to read more and become more aware of words and their meanings. I re-read this children's book to refresh myself since I decided to read this book aloud on a streaming site! I'm so excited! I want kids to realize the joy of words and to become aware of multiple ways to express themselves. It's a very simple beginning chapter book but the story is one that both children and adults can relate to.
November 21, 2020
A boy collects words in a word jar. However, the jar becomes too full and he doesn't know what to do until he sees how happy the words can make other people.
I would have this in a 2nd through 5th grade classroom library. This is a great book to use in ELA class. All of the words from the word jar in the book lend themselves well to vocabulary to learn for a 3rd to 5th grader. It is also a great lead in for a discussion on learning new words.
I would have this in a 2nd through 5th grade classroom library. This is a great book to use in ELA class. All of the words from the word jar in the book lend themselves well to vocabulary to learn for a 3rd to 5th grader. It is also a great lead in for a discussion on learning new words.
August 31, 2024
This book was simple and beautiful and it sparked so much joy in me to read about a young boy discovering the magic of words. As someone who feels very strongly about language in general it was lovely to read about someone as young as Donovan falling in love with words in a such an innocent in childish ways. I found myself thinking about how he would continue to love words throughout his life and how he would use his words to invoke feelings. Absolutely loved it.
April 9, 2018
This book was recommended to me after I mentioned I was disappointed with recently published 2018 and highly rated book titled "Word Collector" by Peter H. Reynolds. This book is so much better than that one. I loved the ending of this book which was so inspirational. I also was disappointed with the book titled "The Word Collector" by Sonja Williams published 2011.
February 15, 2020
Excellent children’s book.
The classic story about the power of words
Donavan Allen doesn’t collect coins, comics, or trading cards like most kids. He collects words—big words, little words, soft words, and silly words. Whenever Donavan finds a new word, he writes it on a slip of paper and puts it in his word jar.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
The classic story about the power of words
Donavan Allen doesn’t collect coins, comics, or trading cards like most kids. He collects words—big words, little words, soft words, and silly words. Whenever Donavan finds a new word, he writes it on a slip of paper and puts it in his word jar.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
September 9, 2020
If you're looking for great juvenile books with melaninated protagonist make sure you look up the fabulous children writer Monalisa DeGross! Donavan's Word Jar was a short fun read about the power of words. When Donavan's word jar runs over he's at a loss as to what to do with his words. Looking for him words have a life of their own. This is a great book for young readers.
May 4, 2021
This was a simple read for a multiage book club of students grades K-3. It was fun and started some great discussions around finding interests and hobbies that are connected to who we are as people. I also had many entry points to “sound out” new vocabulary and to demonstrate reading skills to decode and build on what I know about prefixes and suffixes as I tried new words! Overall it was fun!
January 20, 2018
This is a great book. It was given to me by my school where I teach. It gave me great ideas to do with my students, but also reminded me that all words have meaning. It is important to use the wisely and often!
March 2, 2022
Read for my 3rd/4th grade students- very cute.
Donovan collects interesting words in a jar. When he sees that his word jar is getting full, he tries to figure out what he should do with the words, as he is very reluctant to part with them.
Donovan collects interesting words in a jar. When he sees that his word jar is getting full, he tries to figure out what he should do with the words, as he is very reluctant to part with them.
December 29, 2022
A sweet book to get started on words for young ones.
Words are like thermostats - they set the tone in a conversation. How does Donavan solve his word problem!! Beautiful story to show the power of words.
I would be looking for elementary kids to share this beautiful book with.
Words are like thermostats - they set the tone in a conversation. How does Donavan solve his word problem!! Beautiful story to show the power of words.
I would be looking for elementary kids to share this beautiful book with.
May 5, 2017
Great book for lower elementary readers! I will read this with some of my 4th graders.
August 5, 2017
A great book for seeing how powerful words can be, and how a good vocabulary can enrich your life. A diverse and dynamic African American community is depicted here, which I thought was inspiring.
February 20, 2018
Sweet story about the power of words!
March 26, 2018
This is another book I strategically read so that I could reach my goal. I wasn't overly impressed, but it's a cute idea.
April 3, 2019
Read this for a reading group. The time gaps were crap. This had the possibility of being a good book for a second/third grade book.
May 20, 2019
Sweet story about a boy who collects words, and his quest to do something with them when his collection gets too big. Funny, with great illustrations.
April 9, 2020
Cute story about the power of words. Great for vocabulary, discussing collections, helping/comforting others.
July 25, 2020
Really cute book!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews