From Booklist
Merriam-Webster's version of a visual dictionary comes from the same team responsible for the
Firefly Visual Dictionary (2000) and looks almost identical to that earlier work. The big change here is that "real dictionary definitions" have been added, so that when we are shown a labeled picture of an arcade or a bobsled, we can read a definition as well. Some 6,000 pieces of artwork and 20,000 terms are grouped under 17 general categories. DK's
Visual Dictionary groups 30,000 terms under 14 headings and uses primarily photographs (6,000 of them) plus 1,000 illustrations. The DK dictionary has a more sumptuous look, but some of the entries, such as those for the densely labeled "Competition Motorcycles" and "A Ship of the Line," can be confusing. If a library has to choose, it's the difference between stilettos and sensible shoes. DK is sexier, but Merriam-Webster, with its clear illustrations and added definitions, is probably a better educational tool.
Susan AweCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
About the Author
Since 1937. Merriam-Webster is America's foremost publisher of language-related reference works. The company publishes a diverse array of print and electronic products, including Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, Eleventh Edition – America's best-selling desk dictionary – and Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged. Merriam-Webster can be considered the direct lexicographical heir of Noah Webster. In 1843, the company bought the rights to the 1841 edition of Webster's magnum opus, An American Dictionary of the English Language, Corrected and Enlarged. At the same time, they secured the rights to create revised editions of the work. Since that time, Merriam-Webster editors have carried forward Noah Webster's work, creating some of the most widely used and respected dictionaries and reference books in the world.