I just read a book review by Michael Dirda in the Washington Post for, "A Little Book of Language" by David Crystal. Might be interesting for those of your DC (and adults too) who are logophiles.

Quote
Recognizing a winning concept, Yale has now followed Gombrich's history with "A Little Book of Language," by the eminent and prolific linguist David Crystal. Best known for the Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language and "The Stories of English," Crystal here writes for the true beginner, but does so with his usual clarity and authority, as he ranges from ancient etymologies to modern text-messaging. The chapters -- again 40 of them -- are made doubly engaging by Jean-Manuel Duvivier's frolicsome, highly stylized black-and-white illustrations


Here's a link to the full review:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/02/AR2010060204513.html