The 'World Book Encyclopedia' was first published in Chicago, Illinois, United States, by Hanson-Roach-Fowler Company. Designed specifically to serve school children, public libraries, and average families, World Book prioritized highly visual explanations, simple sentence structures, and a strict alphabetical arrangement of topics. This popular reference work democratized research for young students, quickly becoming a standard fixture in American classrooms and mid-century suburban living rooms.

By designing an accessible entry-point into historical and scientific knowledge, World Book shaped the childhood literacy of generations of 20th-century American poets. Its clear, direct prose style and reliance on visual layouts provided an early model for direct, plain-spoken language in modern poetry.