WordPlay Cafe: Cool Codes, Priceless Punzles & Phantastic Phonetec Phun (Williamson Kids Can! Series) [Paperback]

Michael Kline (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2005 | Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: Williamson Kids Can!

This book is suitable for ages 9 to 12 years. "Wordplay Cafe" is so imaginative that kids and adults will be laughing together before they even begin a word game! Kline has added his trademark 'Pundits', a combination of art and word games for kids that encourage both visual and auditory thinkers. "Wordplay Cafe" is a serious vocabulary builder in disguise, but kids will see it as silly fun of the most wholesome kind.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Written and Illustrated by Michael Kline

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Williamson Books (June 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0824967534
• ISBN-13: 978-0824967536
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 11 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #767,775 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun for the entire family, October 30, 2005

By 

Il Moro di Venezia (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: WordPlay Cafe: Cool Codes, Priceless Punzles & Phantastic Phonetec Phun (Williamson Kids Can! Series) (Paperback)

Kline has a wonderful sense of humour that can be appreciated by any age group. He really challenges kids (and adults) to look at language in a different way - the fun way! The book reads like a rollercoaster ride...or maybe a better analogy would pinball machine: it bounces off topics and tangents in a delightfully free-wheeling manner. Not for ADD kids, this book is meant for children who are willing to engage with subject matter for a wonderful reward. Kline's book belongs in the category of "children's books" the way that Bloom County belonged in the same comics section of the paper with Funky Winkerbean and Family Circus. This book truly works best when the whole family joins in on the fun. The activities are perfect for getting fun discussions going between children and adults. A highly recommended read for anyone (at any age) who wants to re-discover language and have fun along the way.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Blue Plate Special for Educators, October 18, 2005

By 

Joan E. Ernstmann - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: WordPlay Cafe: Cool Codes, Priceless Punzles & Phantastic Phonetec Phun (Williamson Kids Can! Series) (Paperback)

This book is a must for educators or anyone wanting to increase the language-oriented thinking of young people in grades third through middle school. High school students would love it too, but they might not admit it! The thinking skills which can be achieved through a wide variety of quick to implement activities are endless using Wordplay Cafe as a guide. The best part is that author/illustrator, Michael Kline, gives one the license to "tweek" the puzzles and games to suit a wide-range of learners including this reader/educator.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delicious Wordplay Here!, October 12, 2005

By 

David Morice "Dr. Alphabet" (Iowa City, IA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: WordPlay Cafe: Cool Codes, Priceless Punzles & Phantastic Phonetec Phun (Williamson Kids Can! Series) (Paperback)

~ THE WORDPLAY CAFE, BY MICHAEL KLINE (REVIEW)

This book is lush. Lush with wordplay. Lush with illustrations. The publisher, Williamson Books, put a lot of care and a lot of coin into this wonderful, refreshing splash of word games for children. Adults will love it, too. Such a presentation is the stuff wordplay dreams are made of! It reflects the high energy, creativity, and fun that author/illustrator Michael Kline put into it. The book begins with the "basic rules for the Wordplay Café." Then it discusses recipes for word games, each of which includes a short description of how to prepare the word game and a list of ingredients. There are many word games, each using a different form or approach to wordplay. Word Ways readers will be delighted to see the bouncy way the book casts a new, bright light on many familiar logological forms. Word Square Snack, Acrostic Appetizers, Palindrome Potluck-let's look for a moment at that last one. It begins with a definition of palindrome, and it includes several clear, basic examples, such as "A Toyota," "Tod sees Dot," " Step on no pets," and others. Then it suggests looking through the newspaper for palindromes, beginning with simple ones, such as "mom" and "pop." And then it shows the Recipe, which "serves 2 players," and it lists the ingredients. A section called Brain Candy gives the etymology and history of palindromes (Sotades is here). A section called Taste Test asks "Can you find two palindromes in the following poem?" and shows a 4-line poem. Wonderfully wild watercolor cartoons accompany the text. Some of the other sections/games include: Add a Gram of Anagrams, Homonym Grits, Jabberwock Soup Stock, Mirror Word Macaroni & Cheese, Synonym Rolls, Word Chain Casserole, Spoonerisms You Can Eat With a Fork, and many more. So git on in here! Have a seat at the counter. Take a bite. This book is delicious. De-lush-us. Yum! You'll be back for seconds, thirds, twentieths, and you'll want to bring your friends to dig your knives and forks into this delightful, brightlightful taste of just how far wordplay can go, whether you've got an empty stomach or a full brain! The world of words is a universe of wonder, and it's all here in The Wordplay Café. The kids'll love it more than McDonald's are Hardee's, and they won't bloat up in size, just in IQ.