Recently, one my favorite events of the year took place: the Scripps National Spelling Bee! I love the tension, the excitement, the sheer elation on the winner's face when he or she spells that final word correctly. I also love books and movies that feature spelling bees (and words, in general). Here are some of my favorites:

Movies
Spellbound - An excellent Academy Award-nominated documentary that follows eight students competing in the 1999 Scripps National Spelling Bee

Akeelah and the Bee – Full of humor and heart, this film tells the story of a young girl from downtown Los Angeles who works hard to make it to the National Spelling Bee championships.

Books
American Bee: The National Spelling Bee and the Culture of Word Nerds by James Maguire – A fascinating look into the world of competitive spelling

Bee Season by Myla Goldberg – The compelling tale of family unwinding at the seams, as told around the story of nine-year-old spelling champ, Eliza Naumann

Reading the OED: One Man, One Year, 21, 730 Pages by Ammon Shea – While technically not about spelling bees, this book is a delight for anyone who loves words, as it chronicles the highlights, history, and humor found in that paragon of dictionaries, the Oxford English Dictionary.

What are some of your favorite word-related books and movies? Share your recommendations in the comments!