Saturday, March 17, 2018

Stefoff, Rebecca. Me, Myself, and I: The More Grammar Changes, the More it Remains the Same.

Stefoff, Rebecca. Me, Myself, and I: The More Grammar Changes, the More it Remains the Same.  Capstone Publishers  2018     32p  $27.32    ISBN 978-1-5157-6387-1    elem/ms   E-BNS  series: Fact Finders: Why Do We Say That?

We love this grammar book for upper-elementary and middle-school kids! It starts out by making it easy to decide which pronoun to use (me, myself, or I), by stating that if the subject of the sentence is "I", then, and only then, should "I" be used. Nicely put, and I wish that more adults could get their heads around that concept! The book goes on to discuss grammar and its evolution in the English language, which is helpful and informative. There is also a section on the use of "myself," which is very instructional and a topic not often discussed. The example sentences that the author uses are humorous, and she keeps the tone of her instruction light and fun. Organization is good, with a glossary, an index, references for further research, chapters, and appropriate illustrations.

The author touches upon rules, punctuation, Old English, modern English, grammar changes, emojis, Internet language, and the future of language. Students are also given opportunities to try writing sentences using the proper pronouns.

The author includes color photographs, interesting “Did You Know” facts, a glossary of terms, a list of recommended books, critical thinking questions, a special code to use on FactHound for more fun, and an index. The title would make a great addition to an elementary or middle school collection for teaching grammatical concepts.    

Summary: This is a good book on grammar, and specifically the use of first-person pronouns, for any age (really), but geared toward upper-elementary and middle-school readers. Well organized and fun to read, it is also very informative.


English-language Grammar  --Carol Kennedy and Charleen Forba-MacCain

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