Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(9)
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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.

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.

~ 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.

In WordPlay Cafe Michael Kline's banquet of word fun and lively illustrations guarantee a feast of food for thought. This guy Kline says a mouthful. He knows language and he knows how to make children want to eat their words.
-- Richard Lederer, author of Pun & Games and The Circus of Words

First there were words. Then the words were made fun. And in Wordplay Cafe author Mike Kline shows you, oh so successfully, how to make more fun with words. This interactive book teaches kids of all ages the power of words and ways to be creative with their meanings and sounds. It's a great way for kids and parents to have quality time with each other.
Mary K. Baumann and Will Hopkins
Art Directors, Kids Discover magazine
New York, NY

This book is fantastic. It will provide countless hours of enjoyment and verbal challenges for people of all ages. The book is very original and imaginative. Getting acquainted with Baxter the cat is an added bonus. The book is great for an individual reading it, or for word play games for an entire group. This is a fabulous resource for teachers of any grade level. Also, people who love puns and plays on words will be enthralled with this book. There are so many different activities and wordplay games introduced in this book that it never gets old or repetitive. Michael Kline is a verbal genius. Perhaps he should kick back and enjoy some Verbal Tea.

Michael Kline has hit the hail on the nead with WordPlay Cafe. It's an invitation to look at and practice language in a completely different way. It takes some practice but I guarantee, once you let the imagination go, you will want to keep delving into the world of wordplay and punzles!

As mentioned in the previous reviews this book is for the entire family and for all ages. My three-year-old daughter loves the illustrations in the book and wants us to read the book to her. So with a little tweaking she enjoys the book and participating in word play with us. Michael Kline's creativity is incredible. This book will not only improve your verbal skills but also your visual imagination. If you have never had a creative block this book with certainly help you out. I use some of the word games in my classes to increase my student's abilities to visually communicate.

I am always looking for activities to use in my writing class with my middle school students. I came across this book and immediately knew it was a must have. The activities can be used for almost any grade level. Several of the activities will give me a fun way to teach items covered on our state reading assessment. I only wish my own children were still small so I could use the activities on our vacations. I can't wait to get started.