My first time reading this book, I thought I could read it while my class worked quietly on a project. Nope, my snorts, snickers, and assorted giggles disrupted my own class. Sheerest delight!
2. Constance Hale: Sin and Syntax: How to Craft Wickedly Effective Prose
This is a more dense and serious grammar book and writing guide, but who wouldn't love such a book with the following subsections: Bones, Flesh, Cardinal Sins, and Carnal Pleasures?
Quite a good and solid guide.
3. Karen Elizabeth Gordon: The Deluxe Transitive Vampire: The Ultimate Handbook of Grammar for the Innocent, the Eager, and the Doomed
Featuring strangely delightful example sentences and rather gothic illustrations, this book will enrapture you. The first sentence? "The subject is that part of the sentence about which something is divulged; it is what the sentence's other words are gossiping about."
4. William Safire: Fumblerules: A Lighthearted Guide to Grammar and Good Usage
A small and easily enjoyed book, this one may be a bit hard to find. It's worth the search, though, as his memorable rules illustrate the mistake they're trying to prevent. Here's a list of the rules. So, why look for the book? It has quick and amusing explanations for each rule, and is definitely worth the hunt!Good Beginnings:
5. Ruth Heller: Fantastic! Wow! And Unreal!: A Book About Interjections and Conjunctions
This series of gorgeously illustrated books both introduce the parts of speech, and tell amusing stories. I've read these books to teeny ones as a story, and to 4th and 5th graders as a non-threatening introduction.
6.
Brian Cleary: Under, Over, By the Clover: What is a Preposition?
Another clever series, also focusing on parts of speech, these books have a fabulous rhythm to them. He also dives into topics such as synonyms, homonyms, and homophones.
7. Lynne Truss: Eats, Shoots, & Leaves: Why, Commas Really DO Make a Difference!
Why yes, this is the picture book version of the first book on the list! It focuses on illustrating the difference that commas can make in a sentence. To my surprise and delight, she's now written some companion books as well!
For More Serious Souls:
8. Max Morenberg: Doing Grammar
The second edition of this book is the one we used in my college grammar class. It's based on a linguistic model rather than a more traditional framework, and it teaches phrase tree diagramming. While this was the hardest class I ever took, it also turned out to be one of the most enjoyable and useful. There's a newer edition out, and I'm honestly tempted to gather it up for myself!
9. Diana Hacker: A Writer's Reference
Given the proliferation of information on the internet, I don't know that this book would necessarily be the first place I look for the answer to a technical question. However, if you click on the author's name, you'll find a wealth of resources. So, when you're away from a computer, grab the book. Otherwise, enjoy the link!
10. Cecile Zorach & Charlotte Melin: English Grammar for Students of German
For those of us who were only exposed to grammar in our foreign language classes, this is a fabulous resource. It's one of a series. Find your foreign language, and learn some English grammar today!
The boy who cried, "Wolf!" but from the old arthritic wolf's point of view. Wildly amusing.
