Overview

BUILDING YOUR VOCABULARY, the newest addition to the Scholastic Guide series, is an essential resource that provides children with skills they need in order to approach and learn new vocabulary words. Using language arts standards from states around the nation as a guide, BUILDING YOUR VOCABULARY familiarizes kids with word origins, word parts, context clues, synonyms and antonyms, and other critical skills. Rather than a book of vocabulary lists to memorize, this title gives kids tools they can use throughout their lives. Kids will discover that English is made up of words from many different languages. They'll also find out about eponyms--people and places that become words. Next students will discover the meanings of common prefixes, suffixes, and roots so that they can approach new words more confidently. There are also sections on homonyms, word families, shades of meaning, dictionaries, and thesauruses. All in a fun and entertaining format.

Full Product Details

9780439285612

Table of Contents

Reviews

This resource supplies a wealth of information. Chapters are devoted to prefixes, roots, and suffixes; word families; homonyms and homographs; understanding the meaning of words using context clues; how to use a dictionary and thesaurus; and how to increase one's vocabulary using techniques such as games. Interesting information on the longest words in the English language, how words change in meaning and usage over time, and many tables and lists round out this useful volume. Each chapter begins with a humorous illustration, and many additional pictures are scattered throughout. The use of a light blue for words discussed, italics, and different types of fonts add interest and visual appeal to the pages. Chapters end with Extra pages, highlighted in blue, that give additional details, a game, or a story to solve. (Unfortunately, the wrong main/mane is used in the supposedly correct homonym paragraph.) Explanations and examples are clear and often amusing. The author does not talk down to young people; nor does he go over their heads or give too much detail. This easy-to-read, enjoyable guide says a great deal about language. Students can use it as a way to increase their vocabulary and as an easy reference source.--School Library Journal, August 2002

Author Information

"Marvin Terban is a bestselling, award-winning author of more than 30 books for children, most of them about the English language. Called a ""master of wordplay"" by the American Library Association's Booklist and ""Mr. English for Kids"" by the Children's Book-of-the-Month Club, Marvin is truly an expert on teaching the art of language. For over 40 years, Marvin has taught English, Latin, Public Speaking, Theater, and other subjects at Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School in New York City."

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