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Jimmie's Collage

lifestyle blog of a single mom who works from home

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Book Review: Grammar Books from Reader’s Digest

August 19, 2011 By Jimmie Quick

In exchange for my honest review, Reader’s Digest books gave me two free grammar books, pictured above. These are wonderful, hardback books that I am pleased to add to our reference library.

At the end of this post is information about how you can win your own copies. So be sure to enter and spread the word.

The Books

The red book is Write (Or Is That “Right”?) Every Time: Cool Ways to Improve Your English by Lottie Stride.

This book would be suitable for upper elementary or middle school students. It has humorous illustrations and a modern font. All the basics of English are covered: parts of speech, parts of the sentence, spelling, and punctuation. It is a quick overview, just enough to jog your memory or provide a sample sentence. There are no exercises or assignments. This is not a textbook but a simple reference book.

The white book is My Grammar and I . . . Or Should That Be Me?: How to Speak and Write It Right by J.A. Wines.

This book is a bit more advanced and more traditional than the other. I would recommend it for middle schoolers (and maybe on into 9th grade). There are no illustrations, but the text is laid out nicely with plenty of headings, subheadings, shaded areas, and offset boxes.

The topics are comparable to Write (Or Is That “Right”?) Every Time:  spelling, parts of speech, sentences, and punctuation. Oddly enough, the book has no index. So you have to rely on the table of contents to find what you need.

My Grammar and I is more of a living book than the Write (Or Is That “Right”?) Every Time. It has more commentary and quirky details about the grammar being addressed.

How I Plan to Use These Books

I will certainly have these on the shelf for quick reference. I don’t expect to stop using our Write Source which is far more comprehensive, but sometimes having a “second opinion” is helpful.

Additionally, I think that I will assign sections of My Grammar and I for Sprite to read and narrate back to me, writing her own example sentences to illustrate the facts.

Giveaway Details

Three winners will receive copies of both books in a format of their choice — either hardback or ebook.

[Note: Hardback books are an option only for people living in the USA. International winners will win ebook versions.]

How to Win

Leave me a comment here telling me what you use for a grammar reference, if any. Simple! I’ll randomly choose a winner (via And The Winner Is WordPress plugin) on August 26, a week from today.

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Filed Under: book reviews, language arts Tagged With: grammar

Comments

  1. Cori says

    August 19, 2011 at 9:00 am

    My first grade daughter is using Growing with Grammar and we’ll be referencing Write Source for sentence and paragraph instruction. Thanks for the review! They look handy!

  2. Debbie says

    August 19, 2011 at 9:37 am

    Actually we’ve been looking for some good grammar reference books.

  3. Pam in Missouri says

    August 19, 2011 at 9:56 am

    I have a first grader and preschooler. We are just dipping our toes into grammar with First Language Lessons. However, I am a grammar junky. I love quirky modern grammar books as well as vintage antique grammar books. If I win these, they would totally be for me and not the kids (at least for several years).

  4. Seastar says

    August 19, 2011 at 10:00 am

    I really should have a grammar reference but don’t at the moment. We review grammar as we go through our writing assignments. I just haven’t yet found a program I like and that we could stick to.

  5. Tanya says

    August 19, 2011 at 10:03 am

    These look great! I always feel very inadequate when it comes to grammar – I know when something doesn’t “look right” but can’t always explain why. Having these on the shelf would be great for both the kids and me!

  6. Tammy says

    August 19, 2011 at 10:07 am

    I’ve been on the lookout for something suitable for upper elementary and just haven’t happened upon it yet. I still have my college reference book from 1985. Do you suppose the same rules still apply? Will a 10yo read it???? 😀

  7. Melissa says

    August 19, 2011 at 10:08 am

    We will be embarking on our second year of hs in Sept. The only reference book I have is an old college textbook I saved called The Allan/Bacon Handbook (or something like that). We used it once this past school year. I have an 8th, 6th, 4th, & 1st grader and we’d love to have a few grammar books for our shelf. 🙂

  8. Ganderson says

    August 19, 2011 at 10:53 am

    I have used First Language Lessons with my children. I used Rod and Staff with my oldest, however I am looking for something more playful for the next kids. Is that a man-eating sea serpent I see in your post? Sign me up! Who knew sea monsters and grammar could work together. My boys will be all over that page of “Pronouns.”

  9. ellie says

    August 19, 2011 at 11:27 am

    we’ve used first language lessons for the early years. a little here and a little there. but the red book looks fantastic!

  10. SoCalLynn says

    August 19, 2011 at 12:48 pm

    This year my daughter (7th grade) is doing a study based on Strunk and White’s Elements of Style. It is excellent.

    I have been looking at these two books you are giving away and thinking of adding them to my shelf. I hope I win!

  11. Rebecca says

    August 19, 2011 at 12:57 pm

    We have the overwhelming Chicago Manual of Style on our shelf, ugh.

  12. Deb says

    August 19, 2011 at 2:46 pm

    Wow, three winners! That’s very generous – sign me up.

    I am trying out Easy Grammar with the kids, but have conflicting feelings about doing it at such a young age…

    For myself, I mostly either try to remember Jr. High English, or rewrite my sentences until they feel right. It’s very scientific. I could use a reference book. I love Reader’s Digest – I remember my Grandmother having almost every single Reader’s Digest Condensed Version ever published. I gobbled up lots of great literature through those books.

  13. Lisa says

    August 19, 2011 at 2:50 pm

    We’re using dictation, narration, copywork, and Rod and Staff for English. We don’t have a refrence for grammar, but would love these!

  14. Anna-Marie says

    August 19, 2011 at 3:22 pm

    I need a grammar refresher book for my self:) would love one of these on my book shelf.

  15. Katie says

    August 19, 2011 at 3:39 pm

    My little one isn’t quite old enough to formally teach grammar yet, so I don’t have any resources.

  16. Dawn Hill says

    August 19, 2011 at 3:40 pm

    I’m not using any reference books for grammar right now, but I’ll be needing them soon. I’d love these.

  17. Kris says

    August 19, 2011 at 4:00 pm

    I would love these! Thanks for the opportunity to win them. I have an old Rod & Staff English Handbook on my reference shelf, but that is about all. 🙂

  18. Kd Blackburn says

    August 19, 2011 at 4:16 pm

    I don’t use anything for a reference right now. I always did great in English, but as the children get older I find they need one at times when I am busy (there are seven of them in school now).

  19. Teresa Matz says

    August 19, 2011 at 4:27 pm

    I do not have any grammar resources, so I would love to win these.

  20. Melanie says

    August 19, 2011 at 4:41 pm

    Oh dear…I don’t yet use a grammar reference. Yet again getting gentle reminders and great advice from Jimmie’s Collage!

  21. Joanita says

    August 19, 2011 at 4:43 pm

    The only grammar reference books we have are the ones dh and I bought for our college English classes. I really need a good grammar book for the kids.

  22. Rhoda says

    August 19, 2011 at 5:21 pm

    Not using anything currently, but will be needing something in the near future. These look like wonderful books to add to our library (which is lacking in the grammar/English section). Thank you for the possibilities.

  23. Megan Shipley says

    August 19, 2011 at 5:38 pm

    I use my husband. He knows it all.

    • Susan says

      August 25, 2011 at 3:20 pm

      What a blessing to have a ‘knows it all’ husband! 😉

  24. Meredith says

    August 19, 2011 at 5:48 pm

    We have the First Language lessons books, but they aren’t technically reference books…so I guess I technically have nothing! 🙂

  25. Jade =) says

    August 19, 2011 at 5:58 pm

    Goodness, I have these books on my Amazon wishlist. We don’t really need them right now, but I WANT them to have on hand for when we do! Definitely could use them as resources when I find myself in a bind as to which way a sentence is supposed to go. Lol!

  26. Trina says

    August 19, 2011 at 6:08 pm

    We don’t have any book on the shelf at this time to use for reference. We usually use a “search” online to find whatever information we need at the time.

  27. sarah in the woods says

    August 19, 2011 at 6:46 pm

    We just started using Writing Tales. Previously we used Ruth Heller books.

  28. Danielle Hull says

    August 19, 2011 at 7:18 pm

    I do have an old copy of Write Source that I picked up at a used book sale. And I bought Word Fun for the kids because it is so descriptive in a fun way that it will “stick!”

  29. Kristina Best says

    August 19, 2011 at 7:54 pm

    Sad to say I haven’t started Grammar with my son. I think these books would be great. This will be our 1st year homeschooling.

  30. j says

    August 19, 2011 at 9:09 pm

    We’ll be using Easy Grammar this year, but we don’t have a good reference book yet. I have one Basher book (on punctuation), and a college English textbook for myself.

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