Woe is I Jr.: The Younger Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Tom Stiglich (Illustrator) "Before you knew any words at all, you had to point and grunt to communicate..." (more)
Key Phrases: comparing things, Count Olaf, Hogwarts Express, Either Lois

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4–8—O'Conner has produced a grammar guide for children using the witty, lighthearted style that made Woe Is I (Putnam, 1996) so popular. She covers pronouns, plurals, possessives, verb usage, subject-verb agreement, capitalization, and punctuation with jargon-free explanations and entertaining examples (Shrek, Count Olaf, Garfield, and Harry Potter all put in appearances). Additional chapters on commonly confused and misspelled words, clichés, and instant messaging and e-mails make this a well-rounded and useful guide to grammar in the 21st century. The scattered comic-strip-style illustrations neither add to nor detract from its value. Handbooks that are as instructive as they are entertaining are few and far between, making this a first purchase for most libraries.—Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, IL
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Review

Get ready for a very funny and clever read about grammar that combines entertainment and learning in one! -- Children's Book-of-the-Month Club

O'Conner's lack of jargon makes the book's grammar approachable and fresh. -- Slow Reads

[a] well-rounded and useful guide to grammar in the 21st century. -- School Library Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (May 10, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399243313
• ISBN-13: 978-0399243318
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #128,037 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Over 13? Keep Reading. . ., June 13, 2007

By	D. Karras - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Jr. is every bit as funny and useful as the original. Although it is written for a younger reader the large print and witty illustrations (both the drawings and written explanations) also make it perfect for a Sr. reader who needs a quick reference. For example, I can never remember whether to italicize or use quotation marks for book titles. But I simply check the index under italics and quickly find my answer on page 93. What a great help! I wish I were the author (see page 56 - Wishful Thinking: Was or Were?).

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A spoonful of humor helps the grammar go down!, June 7, 2007

By	G. G. Urban (New Jersey) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a terrific book to help the younger set realize that good grammar is not only important - it can be fun, too. Ms. O'Conner writes this one with the same wit and cultural relevance demonstrated in the 'adult' version. Her references to characters today's kids know and love provide an amusing and entertaining means of getting her message across - that using good English is easy ... and can be mastered without tears and fear. As a mom and a professional librarian also, I'll be recommending this book over and over.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Grammar Bedtime Stories!, November 25, 2007

By	David Cook (Pasadena, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Being a father of 2 girls, the younger 7 and the older 9, bedtime stories continue to be a compulsory nighttime ritual. I usually end the day with something from the "kids section" of the bookshelf that consist of books that I purchased when they were, erm...4 and 6, so as you can imagine, I was recently on Amazon ordering updated books for my daughters.

That's when I ran across this gem of a book.

It's a grammar book! But it's funny and doesn't get boring! Serious!

Now, granted, I'm the kind of dad who reads childrens books with wild enthusiasm, facial contortions, wide vocal range, the appropriate silly remark, sound effect or armpit tickle, but despite my whacky delivery, this book managed to keep my daughters interest focused on the prose itself! Not only that, but due to its interactive format, my daughters were even yelling out answers to the enticing questions which succeeds the seemingly impossible task of melding academics and entertainment in the dreary subject of grammar...a subject, which is about as delicious as unsweetened oatmeal.

Now there's some food for thought!