THE BOOK: OUNCE DICE TRICE BY ALASTAIR REID, 
The Illustrator: Ben Shahin

What some of the blurb on the back says:

... Poet Alastair Reid introduces children and adults to the wondrous waywardness of words in Ounce Dice Trice, a delicious confection and a wildly unexpected exploration of sound and sense and nonsense that is like nothing else. Reid offers light words (willow, whirr, spinnaker) and heavy words (galoshes, mugwump, crumb), words on the move and odd words, words that read both ways and words that read the wrong way around (razegrats), along with much else. ... a book of endless delights, not to mention the only place where you can find the answer to the question: What is a gongoozler? Well, all I can say is quoz?

According to the book 'The Queen's English: An A to Z Guide to the English in Their Own Words', this wonderful term comes from joining two slang words 'gob' which is slang for mouth and smacked (which also relates to being kissed on the mouth). Together the word 'gobsmacked' means 'left speechless'.

The term 'gobsmacked', writes C.J. Moore, came to public fame on the lips of leading Conservative politician, Chris Patten, a member of the Thatcher administration. 'Double whammy' (double blow) and 'porkies' (= pork pies = lies) were other terms he used. Patten later "went to annoy the Chinese as last Governor of Hong Kong". 

To purchase 'The Queen's English: An A to Z Guide to the English in Their Own Words' by C.J. Moore, click HERE.