The English language, with its many nuances and rules, is complicated. Good literature and quality examples help children to internalize and gain ownership of its conventions. The best of these series help to do just that. Some of the sets, such as Picture Window’s “Language on the Loose,” show with examples, and others, such as Raintree’s “Find Your Way with Words,” explain concepts directly. Children need both methods in order to learn the subtle rules of English. Noteworthy books that help with this multimodal learning give teachers and librarians the tools with which to inspire a love of reading and writing.

Preschool-Grade 4

BRYAN, Dale-Marie. The Many Kinds of Big. ISBN 978-1-60753-506-5. LC 2013006871.

––––. The Many Kinds of Clean. ISBN 978-1-60753-508-9. LC 2013006844.

––––. The Many Kinds of Cold. ISBN 978-1-60753-511-9. LC 2013010404.

––––. The Many Kinds of Dirty. ISBN 978-1-60753-509-6. LC 2013010414.

––––. The Many Kinds of Hot. ISBN 978-1-60753-510-2. LC 2013010405.

––––. The Many Kinds of Small. ISBN 978-1-60753-507-2. LC 2013006845.

ea vol: 16p. (So Many Synonyms Series). glossary. photos. Amicus. 2013. lib. ed. $25.65.

K-Gr 2–Children are often asked to think of synonyms when writing. For many reasons, that can be a challenge for some learners. This introductory set is a great resource for learning about word choice. Sophisticated vocabulary is used. For example, synonyms for the word “big” are not just limited to “large” and “huge,” but also include words such as “vast” and “massive.” In order to focus the titles, a theme connects all the synonyms within each. For example, Hot is about hot things at the beach. The clear layout, simple texts, and large photographs promote and encourage independent reading. Extra materials include a fantastic visual glossary and a guide for parents and teachers on how to use the volumes with children. A lot can be done with this simple series.

COLLINS, Terry. whatever says mark: Knowing and Using Punctuation. illus. by Russ Cox. ISBN 978-1-4048-8318-5; ISBN 978-1-4795-1917-0.

LOEWEN, Nancy. Frog. Frog? Frog!: Understanding Sentence Types. illus. by Merrill Rainey. ISBN 978-1-4048-8321-5; ISBN 978-1-4795-1920-0.

MEISTER, Cari. When and Why Did the Horse Fly?: Knowing and Using Question Words. illus. by Marek Jagucki. ISBN 978-1-4048-8319-2; ISBN 978-1-4795-1918-7.

OLSON, Gillia M. Monsters Can Mosey: Understanding Shades of Meaning. illus. by Ivica Stevanovic. ISBN 978-1-4048-8320-8; ISBN 978-1-4795-1919-4.

ea vol: 24p. (Language on the Loose Series). further reading. websites. Picture Window. 2013. lib. ed. $27.32; pap. $7.95.

Gr 2-4–It’s not often that a series can introduce key concepts and be entertaining at the same time, yet this collection does just that. From Monsters, where a monster tries to figure out the best way she should walk (should she prowl, glide, or lumber?), to whatever, in which a boy speaks without punctuation and therefore no emotion, these books amuse and teach. Each volume has a unique feel. For example, When and Why has comic-booklike images. However, all the titles contain bright and colorful illustrations, work well together, and feel like part of the same series. A final page in every book describes the concepts in detail, pulling out examples. The resource lists cite great trade book examples. A standout series.

Down by the Bay. illus. by Howard McWilliam. ISBN 978-1-4333-3515-0.

REID, Stephanie. Five Senses. ISBN 978-1-4333-3522-8.

––––. Oceans. ISBN 978-1-4333-3511-2.

RICE, Dona Herweck. Oh, to the Ocean. illus. by Rusty Kinunen. ISBN 978-1-4333-3513-6.

––––. With My Senses. illus. by Samantha Paxton. ISBN 978-1-4333-3524-2.

A Song of Sixpence. illus. by Chad Thompson. ISBN 978-1-4333-3526-6.

ea vol: 16p. (Literacy, Language, & Learning Series). illus. photos. Teacher Created Materials. 2013. pap. $6.99.

PreS-Gr 2–This series contains three volumes related to the ocean and three about the five senses and attempts to aid literacy development through a variety of methods. Oceans and Five Senses are wordless with attractive full-color photos; they could be used for oral storytelling or as writing prompts, but are definitely additional purchases. Oh, to the Ocean and With My Senses explore their topics through rhyming verse that’s predictable and bland. Sixpence and Bay are illustrated versions of a traditional rhyme and a song, respectively, and their connection to the featured themes is tenuous at best. The coloring-book art is barely average in quality and composition. The back covers suggest questions parents and teachers could ask children while reading the books. These titles are best used in a one-on-one setting.

GREGORY, Josh. Adjectives. ISBN 978-1-62431-180-2; ISBN 978-1-62431-312-7; ISBN 978-1-62431-246-5. LC 2013006653.

––––. Adverbs. ISBN 978-1-62431-183-3; ISBN 978-1-62431-315-8; ISBN 978-1-62431-249-6. LC 2013007018.

––––. Nouns. ISBN 978-1-62431-177-2; ISBN 978-1-62431-309-7; ISBN 978-1-62431-243-4. LC 2013005813.

––––. Verbs. ISBN 978-1-62431-179-6; ISBN 978-1-62431-311-0; ISBN 978-1-62431-245-8. LC 2013007653.

MARSICO, Katie. Conjunctions. ISBN 978-1-62431-181-9; ISBN 978-1-62431-313-4; ISBN 978-1-62431-247-2. LC 2013007030.

––––. Interjections. ISBN 978-1-62431-184-0; ISBN 978-1-62431-316-5; ISBN 978-1-62431-250-2. LC 2013005087.

––––. Prepositions. ISBN 978-1-62431-182-6; ISBN 978-1-62431-314-1; ISBN 978-1-62431-248-9. LC 2013005599.

––––. Pronouns. ISBN 978-1-62431-178-9; ISBN 978-1-62431-310-3; ISBN 978-1-62431-244-1. LC 2013006092.

ea vol: 24p. (Language Arts Explorer Junior Series). further reading. glossary. illus. index. photos. websites. Cherry Lake. 2013. lib. ed. $25.64; pap. $12.79; ebk. $25.64.

Gr 1-4–This series tries to integrate stories with instructive writing about parts of speech, but as there is no distinction between the fictional and informational narratives, readers may be confused. The books are illustrated with color photographs and bright cartoons. Words that represent the parts of subjects are highlighted on the pages. For example, “works,” “jumps,” and “falls” are highlighted in Verbs. Several activities are included in each volume and often have links to printable versions. “Think About It” sidebars contain helpful information, such as a chart in Adverbs that shows how to distinguish between an adverb and an adjective. This series does move beyond just talking about the usual four parts of speech (nouns, verbs, adverbs and adjectives), but it’s still a secondary purchase.

MANUSHKIN, Fran. It Doesn’t Need to Rhyme, Katie: Writing a Poem with Katie Woo. ISBN 978-1-4048-8128-0; ISBN 978-1-4795-1923-1.

––––. Sincerely, Katie: Writing a Letter with Katie Woo. ISBN 978-1-4048-8126-6; ISBN 978-1-4795-1921-7.

––––. Stick to the Facts, Katie: Writing a Research Paper with Katie Woo. ISBN 978-1-4048-8130-3; ISBN 978-1-4795-1925-5.

––––. What Do You Think, Katie?: Writing an Opinion Piece with Katie Woo. ISBN 978-1-4048-8131-0; ISBN 978-1-4795-1926-2.

––––. What Happens Next, Katie?: Writing a Narrative with Katie Woo. ISBN 978-1-4048-8129-7; ISBN 978-1-4795-1924-8.

––––. What’s in Your Heart, Katie?: Writing in a Journal with Katie Woo. ISBN 978-1-4048-8127-3; ISBN 978-1-4795-1922-4.

ea vol: illus. by Tammie Lyon. 32p. (Katie Woo: Star Writer Series). further reading. glossary. websites. Picture Window. 2013. lib. ed. $19.99; pap. $5.95.

K-Gr 2–In this energetic series, a young girl learns about many different kinds of writing. Her friends and family make appearances as she keeps a journal, writes poems, pens letters, and more. Watercolor illustrations capture Katie’s personality and give life to the stories. The titles look and read like easy readers. “Katie’s Star Tip” sidebars complement the narratives by delivering advice about the kind of writing being highlighted. For example, Facts tells readers, “Brainstorming can help you pick a topic.” The end of each book offers activity suggestions for budding writers, such as journal prompts, ideas for research papers, topics for opinion pieces, and suggestions of people to write letters to, such as grandparents. Website addresses lead readers and educators to more information and “downloadables.”

MURRAY, Kara. Adjectives and Adverbs. ISBN 978-1-4777-0799-9; ISBN 978-1-4777-1052-4. LC 2012045401.

––––. Capitalization and Punctuation. ISBN 978-1-4777-0803-3; ISBN 978-1-4777-1056-2. LC 2012049464.

––––. Contractions and Possessives. ISBN 978-1-4777-0804-0; ISBN 978-1-4777-1057-9. LC 2012051005.

––––. Nouns and Pronouns. ISBN 978-1-4777-0800-2; ISBN 978-1-4777-1053-1. LC 201204677.

––––. Simple and Compound Sentences. ISBN 978-1-4777-0802-6; ISBN 978-1-4777-1055-5. LC 2012048595.

––––. Verbs. ISBN 978-1-4777-0801-9; ISBN 978-1-4777-1054-8. LC 2012047583.

ea vol: 24p. (Core Language Skills Series). chart. glossary. index. photos. websites. Rosen/PowerKids Pr. 2013. lib. ed. $22.60; ebk. $22.60.

Gr 3-4–Parts of speech are introduced and defined in this series. However, the volumes could be confusing for their target audience as examples are not easy to identify on the pages. Bright pink “Figure It Out” text boxes ask readers to test their newly acquired knowledge (e.g., “How would you describe the differences between the verbs ‘walk,’ ‘strut,’ and ‘plod’?”). Answers are in the back of the books. The texts are dense on the pages, which might make independent reading difficult. Blue captions unsuccessfully attempt to connect the stock photographs to the subject matter. There is too much happening on every page, and without a theme or unifying connection, these titles lack cohesion.

OWINGS, Lisa. Do Your Research. ISBN 978-1-4677-1503-4; ISBN 978-1-4677-1749-6. LC 2013002302.

––––. Learn About Authors and Illustrators. ISBN 978-1-4677-1502-7; ISBN 978-1-4677-1752-6. LC 2012049759.

––––. Share Your Book Report. ISBN 978-1-4677-1504-1; ISBN 978-1-4677-1753-3. LC 2013002303.

––––. Stay Safe Online. ISBN 978-1-4677-1505-8; ISBN 978-1-4677-1754-0. LC 2013003348.

PIEHL, Janet. Explore the Library. ISBN 978-1-4677-1500-3; ISBN 978-1-4677-1750-2. LC 2013004388.

––––. Know the Parts of a Book. ISBN 978-1-4677-1501-0; ISBN 978-1-4677-1751-9. LC 2013004884.

ea vol: 24p. (Library Smarts Series). diag. glossary. index. photos. Lerner. 2013. lib. ed. $23.93; ebk. $17.95.

K-Gr 3–In this uneven set, there are no more than 11 sentences per page, which are placed opposite full-page photographs and graphics. Glossary words are highlighted in blue and defined in the back matter. For their usability and time liness, Research, Parts of a Book, and Online are the standouts. Research tells students that, “Research is about asking questions. What do you want to know?” This volume would be a great resource for a classroom unit. Parts of a Book introduces students to nonfiction book elements, from the table of contents to the index. Online covers Internet passwords, cyberbullying, and more. The rest of the titles can be repetitive and sometimes bland. The images, by and large, are clear and colorful and correspond to the texts. Educators should buy individual volumes as needed.

POWELL, Marie. Dig, Pig! ISBN 978-1-60753-516-4; ISBN 978-1-60753-542-3. LC 2013010400.

––––. Grow, Crow! ISBN 978-1-60753-515-7; ISBN 978-1-60753-543-0. LC 2013010401.

––––. Nab the Crab. ISBN 978-1-60753-513-3; ISBN 978-1-60753-544-7. LC 2013006856.

––––. Out for Trout. ISBN 978-1-60753-514-0; ISBN 978-1-60753-545-4. LC 2013006846.

––––. Sleep, Sheep! ISBN 978-1-60753-517-1; ISBN 978-1-60753-546-1. LC 2013010399.

––––. That Cat! ISBN 978-1-60753-512-6; ISBN 978-1-60753-547-8. LC 2013006828.

ea vol: 16p. (Word Families Series). photos. Amicus. 2013. lib. ed. $25.65; ebk. $25.65.

K-Gr 2–In these weak introductions, haphazard story lines are crafted around the featured word families. In many cases, it feels as if the photos were chosen first and then the stories were built around them. However, the set is unique in that the books use narrative, not rhyming stanzas, to explore rhyme. For instance, Trout begins, “Today we are going fishing for trout. Dad brings out the fishing rods and gear.” Sheep! and Pig! are the most successful books of the bunch. Rhyming words appear in bold print. Each volume contains a note to parents and teachers that suggests activities to do before, during, and after reading the texts. The final page in every book lists word-family vocabulary.

RAJCZAK, Kristen. Commas and Colons with Your Class. ISBN 978-1-4339-9065-6; ISBN 978-1-4339-9068-7.

––––. Complete Sentences with Your Family. ISBN 978-1-4339-9069-4; ISBN 978-1-4339-9072-4.

––––. Conjunctions with Your Friends. ISBN 978-1-4339-9073-1; ISBN 978-1-4339-9076-2.

––––. Sequential Words with Your Pets. ISBN 978-1-4339-9077-9; ISBN 978-1-4339-9080-9.

––––. Subjects and Verbs with Your Neighbors. ISBN 978-1-4339-9081-6; ISBN 978-1-4339-9084-7.

––––. Transition Words with Your Team. ISBN 978-1-4339-9085-4; ISBN 978-1-4339-9088-5.

ea vol: 24p. (Write Right! Series). chart. diag. further reading. glossary. index. photos. websites. Gareth Stevens. 2013. lib. ed. $22.60; ebk. $22.60.

Gr 2-5–These books introduce language concepts using common topics to clearly model them. Each spread contains an “On the Write Track” text box that gives more information or additional examples. For example, Sentences explains that, “An incomplete sentence is called a fragment.” Conjunctions states that, “Dependent clauses act like a noun, adjective, or adverb in a sentence.” On each spread, large, stock photos on the right page are relevant to the facts presented on the left. Diagrams and charts will help readers grasp the information. Children will be drawn to the clean layout and well-presented subject matter.

Grades 5 & Up

BODDEN, Valerie. Horror. ISBN 978-1-60818-180-3. LC 2012023239.

––––. Mystery. ISBN 978-1-60818-178-0. LC 2012023240.

––––. Romance. ISBN 978-1-60818-179-7. LC 2012023241.

––––. Science Fiction. ISBN 978-1-60818-181-0. LC 2012023237.

ea vol: 48p. (Stories Well Told Series). bibliog. glossary. index. photos. reprods. websites. Creative Education. 2013. lib. ed. $35.65.

Gr 7 Up–References to and quotes from authors such as Edgar Allan Poe, Mary Shelley, and Ann Rice add substance to this series about four popular literary genres. The titles cover history (“The oldest love stories in the Western world can be found in the Bible and in ancient Greek myths”), subgenres, character types, elements of the genre, and famous books and writers. Some of the same authors show up in multiple volumes (e.g., Edgar Allan Poe is mentioned in Horror, Science Fiction, and Mystery). Bodden frequently gives examples of films that have been inspired by literature. Movie stills, portraits of writers, photographs, and reproductions provide visual references for the topics. Important words are highlighted and defined in the glossaries.

MILES, Liz. The Structure of Words: Understanding Roots and the Smaller Parts of Words. ISBN 978-1-4329-7656-9; ISBN 978-1-4329-7661-3.

VICKERS, Rebecca. Making Better Sentences: The Power of Structure and Meaning. ISBN 978-1-4329-7654-5; ISBN 978-1-4329-7659-0.

––––. Punctuation and Spelling: Rules That Make Things Clear. ISBN 978-1-4329-7655-2; ISBN 978-1-4329-7660-6.

––––. Types of Words: Unleashing Powerful Parts of Speech. ISBN 978-1-4329-7657-6; ISBN 978-1-4329-7662-0.

ea vol: 56p. (Find Your Way with Words Series). chart. diag. further reading. glossary. illus. index. map. photos. reprods. websites. Heinemann. 2013. lib. ed. $33.50; pap. $9.49.

Gr 7 Up–These books are chockfull of information, so much so that each title could have been broken down into its own series. This set not only explains parts of speech, such as noun, verbs, and adjectives, but also covers rules about when to use hyphens, semicolons, and colons as well as the proper use of words such as “lie” and “lay.” Numerous lists, charts, text boxes, and captioned images add visual variety to the texts. Excerpts from works by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Arthur Miller, and Lewis Carroll (to name a few) add depth and authenticity. Throughout the series, informal versus formal writing is defined and clarified. These volumes are useful not only for students, but also for teachers, people who need to brush up on grammar, and/or ELL students. A strong resource.

In Types of Words from Heinemann’s “Find Your Way with Words” series, readers learn that English is one of the few languages that does not have an organization that makes decisions about conventions. Thus, it’s important that educators have versatile resources such as Amicus’s “So Many Synonyms” and Picture Window’s “Language on the Loose” that help to clarify standards and push students in their thinking. Amicus’s “So Many Synonyms” and “Word Families” are suitable for beginning readers. Picture Window’s “Katie Woo: Star Writer” is perfect for youngsters just starting on their writing journeys. “Find Your Way with Words” contains a wealth of information, not only for novice writers, but also for adults who might need to brush up on some grammar rules. Hopefully these collections will inspire and empower students to, as it says at the end of Rebecca Vickers’s Punctuation and Spelling (Capstone), have “a chance to develop original and inventive uses of language–in the right place.”