Customer Reviews

The Giggly Guide to Grammar

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm always skeptical of 5 star ratings on Amazon but nevertheless I ordered a copy of this book out of sheer desperation to find an accessible grammar book. BIG thank you to the previous reviewers- the Giggly Guide is a gem! I have bought many books on grammar over the years but the dry, sometimes under explained definitions meant they've sat on my shelf being ignored. The Giggly Guide is humorously written and uses easily understandable explanations and examples. The activities help consolidate ideas and the fun sentences will help students engage with them. Yes the book is meant for kids, but any adult wanting to improve their grammar spoil yourself and get a copy. I've included a short extract from the book on 'pronouns' to let you see the style and kind of things done in the book...

START OF EXCERPT

Pronouns

A pronoun is a word that takes the place of one or more nouns. While there are a billion gazillion nouns, there are far fewer pronouns. (As a matter of fact, you'll find almost all of the little critters on a few short lists that just happen to be in this chapter.) Take a look at the following sentences and see if you notice anything unusual about the way they're written (duh).

Semore is an unusual child. Yesterday, Semore shaved his head with Semore's father's electric razor. Then Semore carefully braided the hairs on Semore's legs and arms. On Semore's face, Semore applied a rub-on tattoo of a small warthog. Semore's parents hope that Semore is simply going through a phase.

It doesn't take a neurosurgeon to figure out that this paragraph contains waaaaaaaay too many Semore's. Why? No pronouns! Let's face it. Language would be pretty boring if we had to use the same words over and over. Pronouns help alleviate some of the monotony. The sentence would be much better written with pronouns:

Semore is an unsual child. Yesterday, he shaved his head with his father's electric razor. Then he carefully braided the hairs on his legs and arms. On his face, he applied a rub-on tattoo of a small warthog. His parents hope that he is simply going through a phase.

Whew. That's better. The second paragraph replaces names with personal pronouns. You're probably familiar with personal pronouns. Here's the list.

END OF EXCERPT

This book is the silliest, funniest and most thorough grammar guide I have ever seen. The text is written with voice and passion and the illustrations bring to life the silly sentences. Where was Cathy Campbell when I was a student? Sob.

A previous poster asked where Cathy Campbell was when he was in school? I'll tell you where..

She was in MY class. She was MY teacher. :)

While reading this book, I was hit with a whirlwind of memories. Ms. Campbell taught my ninth grade English class, and she forever impacted my life. I learned to love writing, and that has continued, even though I am no longer in school. I blog daily, and work on ideas for the book I will someday write.

The book is brilliant, just like the author. It brings together all the things that pushed me to love English, and organizes the information into great sections, easily found when needed. Her "doodling" is cute and makes the rules fun to learn. The examples are hilarious and memorable, and she includes some of her best tricks for remembering important tidbits.

I loved reading this book. Cathy Campbell's voice is unique and endearing, and I hope anyone who reads it grows to love her like I do. I hope students find a great teacher, some funny memories, and a friend.

My sister received her copy in the mail as well, and she thinks it's the greatest. She will be a ninth grader herself next fall, and she is real excited about having a personal grammar companion to take her through her high school years.



Ms. Campbell, if you're reading this.. always remember that you have an enormous group of fans of all ages. You are timeless and are making a difference in the coming generation each day you walk into a classroom.


Sincerely, EmilyB

School kids often hate the notion of grammar, but they can laugh at their fears with this book's approach, or giggle out loud if they like. Of all the grammar books out there, this one most understands how kids speak and learn. You never find a drawing of a hairy wart in Strunk and White. Nor do you get exercises that involve a district carp toss or a Venus flytrap swallowing the cat.

The approach, quirky exercises, and drawings all combine for as effective a way for the young to take on a troublesome topic that will help them throughout their lives. Don't wait for someone to assign this book at your school. Buy your child a copy and be ahead of everyone, and have fun while you're at it.

Yes! The Giggly Guide to Grammar is an awesome resource and my middle school students love it. But after purchasing, I found another version that comes with a CD -- perfect for SmartBoard classes. It's about $10.00 more. I'm not sure why it isn't available at Amazon. Google and it should show up.

I am teaching a 9th grade support (Tier 2) class and this book was greatly helpful to start the year off with a bang. It is silly and the kids enjoy the lessons I spin from it.

HaHaHaHaHaHa. I laughed all the way through The Giggly Guide to Grammar. This grammar book has it all. Hilarious line drawings dramatize principles of grammar (hairy monkeys, aardvarks with buck teeth, Milk-Duds-eating squirrels, straggly three-headed cats, and more). Loony bin characters meander through the pages (Aunt Zippy with her frizzy hair; sweet little Domenica who raises earthworms; Matilda in her colorful, eye-catching shower cap that hide her trussed-up tresses; and others too numerous to mention).
Cathy Campbell uses funny-sounding words to add to the humor: flimflammer, gazillion, varmints, dreadlocks, pizzazz, hypnosis, zucchini, and pachyderms. She includes lots of buffoonery that teens will love (hairy armpits, underwear, squirming tapeworms being digested in the intestines, taco salad caught in braces, parrots gagging on feather balls, and on and on, almost ad infinitum. Invented names, invented words, and invented situations stand out on each page.
Oh, and did I mention that this book does an excellent job on teaching grammar? It does. Campbell includes the easy stuff, you know, nouns, verbs, adjectives. But she also tackles the hard stuff: pronoun predicaments, principle parts of speech, independent and dependent clauses, essential and nonessential clauses (a.k.a. restrictrive and nonrestrictive).
The Giggly Guide to Grammar gives what it promises: a good time while learning about grammar. Students will love this book. Adults will love it, too.

Grammar when I learned was no fun, this book makes it a fun. Just started with my son, and he likes the examples and exercises. Did I mention he also likes Diary of a Wimpy Kid?

This Giggly Guide is easy to read, follow, and learn from. In student friendly language, any person can understand and use the basic rules of grammar. Excellent.

Very entertaining and well written, but I didn't feel it was appropriate for fifth graders due to the teasing and "making fun of" an older woman and a teacher, for example.

I gave it to a high school English teacher, and she was very pleased.