Help Your Kids with Language Arts: A Step-by-Step Visual Guide to Grammar, Punctuation and Writing (DK Publishing)

Help Your Kids with Language Arts:

A Step-by-Step Visual Guide to Grammar, Punctuation and Writing

Author: DK Publishing (Dorling Kindersley) 

Publisher: DK Adult 

Publication Date: May 20, 2013

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I read a lot of books about language and education, and I've reviewed some great ones (see below for just a few) but this one is AMAZING. I'm serious. It's amazing. I was actually exclaiming out loud as I read it (things like "Wow! This book is amazing!").

What makes it so great? Well first of all, every page could be blown up and used as a poster on the classroom wall. EVERY PAGE. Just look at the illustration below. It's beautiful! Every page is like that: a colourful, easy-to-read infographic that can be used as a handy reference for things like parts of speech, verb tenses, silent letters, and a whole bunch more.

It's a fantastic reference for teachers, students, writers, bloggers (especially those of us who are smug about our writing skills and then find ourselves getting lazier and lazier with grammar and spelling until one day we realize that a handy chart on the wall might, in fact, be in order), and anyone else who might need some reminders about the language. Actually, it would be great for people who have learned English as a second language and want to make sure they have the rules down.

But the book is really perfect for--as the title suggests--parents. Specifically, it's for when your kids are coming home with homework about things like the past perfect tense or when to use a semi-colon, or something called phrasal verbs, and you think, "When did this get so hard? I speak English. I went to elementary school, for heaven's sake. Why don't I remember this stuff?" But you don't want to tell your kids you don't remember because you should remember. And you do remember, really. You just might need a little handy-dandy reminder. And that's where this book comes in.

You know what else makes it great? (Besides EVERYTHING!) It starts each section--grammar, spelling, punctuation, even the introduction to the book itself--by asking the same simple question: Why? Why learn English? Why learn proper grammar? Why learn to spell? 

What Learning Leaves, poems by Taylor Mali

What Learning Leaves

(New and Revised Edition)

poems by Taylor Mali

Publisher: Write Bloody

Publication Date: November 15, 2012

(First published January 7, 2012)

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It wouldn't be National Poetry Month without at least one review of a book of poetry, would it? Apparently not. But I can't think of any book of poetry I'd rather be reviewing than that of Taylor Mali. He's one of my top five favourite slam poets of all time, he's amazing, he's smart AND he's a teacher. It would be harder for me NOT to be a fan of his than to just go ahead and love him (which I do). 

What Learning Leaves contains many of my favourite Taylor Mali poems (including "What Teachers Make" and "Like Lilly Like Wilson" which you can see him perform in the videos below) as well as many I hadn't read before. As I was reading them, I kept getting up to read them aloud to my partner Mike, who is a junior high (middle school) teacher. He particularly liked the notion of "saving the world one eighth grader at a time" and making his classroom a "like-free zone" (as in, like, not, like, letting students say, like, like all the time).

Hit the jump to see videos of Taylor Mali performing some of his poetry. He's truly outstanding.

Summary: How Children Succeed...in 30 Minutes A Concise Summary of Paul Tough's Bestselling Book: A 30 Minute Expert Summary

Summary: How Children Succeed...in 30 Minutes

A Concise Summary of Paul Tough's Bestselling Book

Authors: 30 Minute Expert Summaries

Publisher: Garamond

Publication Date: November 29, 2012

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I got this book from the library because after listening to the unabridged audio version. I thought maybe I would like Paul Tough's book more if it were more concise. The audiobook rambled, went on and on about study after study, but seemed to provide no framework for understanding each study, particularly when the findings of one conflicted with the findings of another. All of the studies and experiments he talked about just seemed to be "a bunch of stuff that happened." His conclusion always seems to be "Well that didn't work. I guess that's not the answer." 

I thought at least this summary would provide a little clarity, pare the book down to the author's main points, if in fact he had any. I also suspected that the very existence of this "30 minute" version suggested I was not alone in thinking Paul Tough's book was convoluted. 

Turns out the condensed version didn't help except to confirm my original suspicion  Paul Tough doesn't actually understand these studies himself. He's not a psychologist or an educator or a social worker. He didn't participate in any of the research he's discussing. He simply found the subject matter compelling, found a bunch of people who had been studying child development, and related their opinions--largely unfiltered--in the form of this book. When their research (or more often anecdotal examples) conflicts, Tough doesn't know how to interpret that except with vagaries like "the answers are elusive" or "children need a certain indefinable quality in order to succeed." 

In other words I've just wasted my own time. Twice.

How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character, by Paul Tough (Audiobook Narrated by Dan John Miller)

How Children Succeed:

Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character

Author: Paul Tough

(Audiobook Narrated by: Dan John Miller)

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

(Audiobook Published by: Tantor Media)

Publication Date: September 4, 2012

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I listened to the audiobook of this so I guess I should review it both as a book and as an audiobook. As an audiobook, it's fair. The narration is good, except for the fact that the narrator insists on doing accents and character voices, which is unnecessary in a non-fiction title. I know the author references interviews that he conducted or quotations that he pulled from other sources, but it doesn't mean the narrator has to act them out with every accent and "funny female voice" he can muster. At best, it's distracting. At worst, it's pretty annoying. But other than that, the narration is great.

As a book, I can understand a lot of the frustration expressed by other reviewers. The title is misleading, indicating that: (a) the book is aimed at parents or educators as a how-to guide; and (b) the author has arrived at actual conclusions about "how children succeed." Neither is entirely true.

Mostly the book is a collection of anecdotal evidence and isolated case studies that show...well, nothing. At least according to the author. It seems that every case he brings up--whether it is research done by psychologists, or pedagogical experiments undertaken by schools, or statistics gathering done by government agents--leads him to the same conclusion: Well, that didn't work. 

This book would be depressing if it weren't so ridiculous. His ultimate conclusion about why some children succeed and others don't? An intangible quality that we can't really define and don't understand how to teach but probably is either learned, acquired or inherited..or none of those.

Great. Thanks.

Reflect and Write: 300 Poems and Photographs to Inspire Writing, by Elizabeth Guy and Hank Kellner

Reflect and Write:

300 Poems and Photographs to Inspire Writing

Authors: Elizabeth Guy and Hank Kellner

Editor: Sean Redmond

Publisher: Prufrock Press

Publication Date: February 1, 2013
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It has been a while since I taught poetry, but when I did I often made use of art, photography and quotations to act as writing prompts. So I appreciate the compilation of poetry, photography, quotations and questions in this book.

The photos are well-chosen, helping to elucidate the themes of the accompanying poem and spark students’ imaginations. (The image of three nuns watching a “Spirit Cruises” ship next to a poem about longing to travel made me smile.) Each poem also includes key words that students can discuss as well as questions about the theme, or ideas for writing assignments. I particularly like the quotations from famous people on each page because they often offer a wryly dissenting opinion from the poem. (A particularly peppy poem entitled “I Love a Parade” is followed by the Ulysses S. Grant quote, “The one thing I never want to see again is a military parade.”)

There were, however, some things I wish the authors had included but didn’t. There are no author bios for any of the authors of the poems (except Elizabeth Guy and Hank Kellner). There is a symbol indicating if the poem was written by a student or not, but that is the only information we are given. As a reader, I like to have at least basic information about a poet that may help me understand the context in which they write. And as a teacher I like to have that information to share with the class or as a prompt for further research.

CONTEST: Enter to win a copy of The Fiction Writer's Handbook!

Enter to win a copy of The Fiction Writer's Handbook, by Shelly Lowenkopf!

I recently reviewed this book (you can read my review here) and I loved it (thank goodness too, because I'd already agreed to be part of the blog tour and if I'd hated it I would have had to say so, which would have been awkward). Now the publisher has been kind enough to give me an additional copy (print or digital) to give away to a lucky reader! You can enter the giveaway below and then scroll down for an interview with author Shelly Lowenkopf!

The Fiction Writer's Handbook is perfect for any writer, student, editor, enthusiastic reader OR BOOK REVIEWER. Honestly, it's already changed how I write reviews (sorry writers!).

To enter: Use the Rafflecopter widget on Cozy Little Book Journal (or on CLBJ's Facebook page).

For residents of Canada and U.S.: If you win, you will be given a choice of one print (paperback) copy OR one digital (ebook) copy of the book, sent to you directly from the publisher. You'll need to provide an email and/or mailing address accordingly.

For residents outside of Canada/U.S.: If you win, you will be sent one digital (ebook) copy ONLY of the book, sent to you from the publisher. You'll be asked to provide a valid email address.

Contest runs from Thursday, February 28, 2013, until Sunday, March 17, 2013 (at midnight, Atlantic Standard Time). Winners will be announced no later than Monday, March 18, 2013. Good luck!

BONUS: Exclusive Interview with Shelly Lowenkopf!

author photo from Google plus

Head over to Cozy Little Book Journal for an exclusive Q&A with author Shelly Lowenkopf (I hope he thinks my questions were well-written...)

author photo from publisher's website

The Fiction Writer's Handbook: The definitive guide to McGuffins, red herrings, shaggy dogs, and other literary revelations from a master, by Shelly Lowenkopf (introduction by Christopher Moore)

The Fiction Writer's Handbook:

The definitive guide to McGuffins, red herrings, shaggy dogs, and other literary revelations from a master 

Author: Shelly Lowenkopf 

(Foreword by: Christopher Moore) 

Publisher: White Whisker Books 

Publication Date: October 16, 2012 

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The Fiction Writer's Handbook is probably not what you would expect from the title. It is not arranged into chapters with titles like "How to Begin" or "How to Get Published." In fact it's not arranged into chapters at all, but rather an alphabetical "list of entries" with terms like "antagonist," "flash fiction" and "verb tenses." Some entries, like "first-draft strategy" (where the author suggests you start) and "revision" (where the author suggests you go next) are longer articles filled with ideas to improve your writing, while others are merely brief definitions of literary terms. Every entry contains words in small caps indicating terms that can be found elsewhere in the book (in the e-book edition these are hyperlinks that allow the reader to go directly to the entry locations).

If this format seems like it would be difficult to read cover-to-cover, that's because it is. It's not meant to be read cover-to-cover, nor is it meant to be read in one sitting. The idea is to skip around, read the entries that interest you, and use them to improve your writing or at least your editing. I almost think of it as a book of editing prompts.

Candy Experiments, by Loralee Leavitt

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Wow! This book is so exciting as I was reading it I wasn't even thinking, "Oh my daughter would like this" or "The kids in my class will like this" as much as I was thinking, "OMG CANDY! I WANT CANDY! I want to melt it and blow it up and separate the dyes and OMG CANDY!!"

Did you know that if dissolve Pixy Stix in water the water will get colder, but if you dissolve crushed Jolly Ranchers in water it will get warmer? Did you know you can make Peeps Hearts appear to beat? Did you know you can reshape candy canes into fun shapes by heating them? 

The True Secret of Writing: Connecting Life with Language, by Natalie Goldberg

The True Secret of Writing:

Connecting Life with Language

Author: Natalie Goldberg 

Publisher: Atria Books 

Publication Date: March 19, 2013 

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Imagine having a teacher whom you very much admire--say, a theatre instructor or an art history professor--and you have nothing but fond memories of her. But then you go back to your old school years later only to realize that she's a blithering old hippy dippy whose great insights are all about "vibes" and "vapors."

That's how I felt reading Natalie Goldberg's latest book.

Oh, Natalie Goldberg. It's so hard for me to criticize her, since I spent much of my twenties valuing her insights on writing and applying them in my own writing and in various writing workshops I ran. Well, sort of. I liked her books but I may have overestimated my admiration for her because I was constantly confusing her with Susan Goldsmith Wooldridge, author of my hands-down favourite book of writing instruction of all time, poemcrazy. Still, I thought of Natalie Goldberg warmly, as one who wrote fairly helpful books about writing (if not many books about anything else).

And then I read The True Secret of Writing. Sigh.

Differentiation That Really Works: Math (Grades 6-12): Strategies from Real Teachers for Real Classrooms, by Cheryll M. Adams, Ph.D. and Rebecca L. Pierce, Ph.D.

Differentiation That Really Works: Math (Grades 6-12) 

Strategies from Real Teachers for Real Classrooms

Authors: Cheryll M. Adams, Ph.D. and Rebecca L. Pierce, Ph.D.

Publisher: Prufrock Press

Publication Date: May 1, 2012

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For this review I defer to the professional opinion of my partner Mike, who is a substitute teacher for grades 6-12 and often has to take over classrooms with students of vastly different skill levels, usually with very little notice.

Mike: This book is really written with teachers in mind. I recognize a lot of strategies as being applicable to the Maine Learning Results (where I did my degree) but also easily adapted to the Nova Scotia Provincial Outcomes (where I teach now). The contract with the student, in particular, could be used to reflect whatever academic goals were required.

One idea from the book that I'll definitely try is the tic-tac-toe choice board. The goal is to get students to complete three math problems out of a possible nine so that their choices form a straight line on the board. Not only does this give students a feeling of control (everyone prefers to have choices) it would also give me a sense of which problems each student felt were the easiest and which ones they avoided.

Overall this book is practical, flexible and helpful.

Thanks, Mike, for the input!