Look, are you a snoop or a spy? from Ulia-jay

Dear Word Spy/Snoop,

I really like your book and I've read it twice.

I live in Australia and a friend of mine had ordered "The Word Snoop" through the internet because they thought it was a sequel to "The Word Spy" and when they found out it was the same they gave it to me!

I saw that there are a few differences from the Australian one. Of course the title and American spelling are different.I think the Mona Lisa rebus is different too.

It's a really good book. Thanks for writing it!

from
ulia-jay :)

Dear Ulia-jay,

Aha! yes, I'm afraid it's true, the Spy and the Snoop are one and the SAME person, and "The Word Spy" and "The Word Snoop" are the one and the same book. I'm the Snoop in north America and the Spy everywhere else (especially Australia.)

I'm sorry you're friend was confused - but the good news is there IS a sequel which will be out very soon, in May, and it's called, wait for it, "The Return of the Word Spy." It's got even more things about words in it and a very nice green cover and green pages inside. (Green is my favourite colour. What's yours, I wonder?)

It's interesting, isn't it, to compare the USA and the Australian books. They made quite a few changes, although you have to have an eagle-eye like yours to spot them! You're quite right about the Mona Lisa rebus - it was changed because apparently in the USA they don't use the slang word "mo" for a moustache, like we do. And have you looked at the section on Mnemonics?

Anks-thay or-fay iting-wray o-tay e-may!

your pal

The Spord Wy