Reader’s Digest Grammar Books (Review and Giveaway)

FSB Media Associates recently asked me to review several educational grammar books from Reader’s Digest.  I’ve always loved writing and all that goes with it, so it didn’t take me long to say yes! 

Write (Or Is That “Right”?) Every Time by Lottie Stride is full of simple tricks to avoid language minefields. This lighthearted, informative guide is divided into bite-size chunks that include:

• Goodness Gracious Grammar: Fun ways to tackle the parts of speech, tenses, conjunctions, and clauses.
• Spelling Made Simple: Easy techniques to learn the rules -- and exceptions -- so you can become a spelling whiz.
• Punctuation Perfection: Effortless ways to conquer those punctuation dilemmas, from exclamation points, to all the commas in between.

My Grammar and I . . . Or Should That Be Me?: How to Speak and Write It Right by Caroline Taggart and J.A. Wines is a refresher course for anyone who has ever been stumped by spelling confusion, dangling modifiers, split infinitives, or for those who have no idea what these things even are. Clever, informative, and fun, this delightful little handbook offers practical and humorous guidance on how to avoid falling into language pitfalls, with lessons on:

• Sentence Structure: Let's ponder the subject or object: Is it "I" or is it "me"?

• Parts of Speech: Is it "whose" or "who's"? "Which" or "that"?

• Punctuation: So where does that comma go, anyway?

• Spelling and Confusables: There are times when the spelling "rules" confuse.

• Elements of Style: You'll find there's lots more to know about grammar.

My thoughts:

Both books are hardback 5X8 books jam packed with grammar and writing rules and rule breakers!  Neither book is written as a “curriculum”, but you certainly can use either, or both as such.   These are also great reference books for your budding writer to have on hand.  These are also great if you’re planning on being on Jeopardy anytime soon….”I’ll take palindromes for $1000 Alex!”

Write (Or Is That “Right”?) Every Time has lots of black and white illustrations that help readers visualize what they are learning, in a fun way.

My Grammar and I….Or Should That Be Me? holds a vast array of useful (and useless but fun) information.  For example, did you know that a group of owls is known as a parliament.  I’m telling you, Alex Trebek will be amazed by you!!

All silliness aside, I really like the way these books are written.  My girls liked the short explanations and easy to understand examples given.  We’re definitely adding these books to our language arts studies.

The Giveaway!

Now it’s give away time!  This same vendor sent me a copy of  The End of Molasses Classes – Getting Our Kids Unstuck –101 Extraordinary Solutions For Parents and Teachers by Ron Clark to give to one lucky viewer!    (Don’t let that over long title chase you off!).   For those of you with reluctant learners, or if maybe the teacher (ahem) is stuck in a rut this could be your answer!

Entering to win is simple, just leave a comment below.   Be sure to include your email or some other way for me to contact you if you win!   Contest is open to U.S. mailing addresses only.  Entries will be accepted through midnight on September 4, 2011.  A winner will be announced on Labor Day, September 5, 2011.

Want to see some other great giveaways going on this week?  Check out the Hip Homeschool Mom Giveaways!

_{Disclosure:  I was given free copies of these books for review purposes only.  The thought sand opinions herein are strictly my own.  I have received no other compensation for my review.}