The original edition contains over 1,400 labelled pictures and the book sold over seven million copies in 12 years.

The art for Best Word Book Ever was first drawn in, then painted in, which was by that time Scarry's normal method.

The book has been translated into a number of other languages, including a bilingual edition in English and Spanish[3] and one in Ukrainian.

For example, the front cover shows a thatched cottage instead of an American style barn, the "When you grow up" pages feature a British soldier instead of an American one and a sprinkling of British Union Jack flags and text were inserted.

Various Best Ever books were adapted to video and a television series, The Busy World of Richard Scarry, ran on Showtime from 1994 to 1997.