FUN Books
For a lifetime of learning fun!

If you are unable to see the blue navigation buttons below, go to Contents for text links.

Home
Contents
Ordering/Shipping
Why buy from us?
Request Catalog
Search - FUN Books
New & Specials
Gift Ideas, Holidays
Arts & Crafts
Ballet
Children's Favorites
College & Work
Foreign Languages
Games
Genealogy
Geography/Cultures
GWS Magazine
History
Homeschooling
Horses
John Holt Bookstore
Klutz Books
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Learning Resources
Mathematics
Music
Reading & Writing
Science
Spies - Pirates
Storytelling
Usborne
Unschooling
Links

 

Reading/Writing

Reading
Early Readers
English from the Roots Up
Rummy Roots
Mad Libs
Writing
Draw-Write-Now Series
Writing Strands
Italic Handwriting Series
Games


Reading


 


Games for Reading: Playful Ways to Help Your Child Read by Peggy Kaye contains some marvelously inventive games to fire a child's enthusiasm for reading. There are bingo games, mazes, puzzles, games where the child acts silly, games for parents, and more (over 70 games). These are quick, easy, and inexpensive using materials easily found around the house.

I've had several friends tell me that this book has given them many useful ideas. It helps to remember to keep the games fun and not get overly instructive. Designed for beginning readers.

See also Kaye's books, Games for Math and Games for Writing.

Paper, 213 pages.

#1491 $15.95 $12.75



Hey! Listen to This: Stories to Read Aloud edited by Jim Trelease - The author of, The New Read Aloud Handbook, presents a collection of 48 read-aloud chapters ideal for parents to share with children ages five through nine.

His choices range from folktales (Uncle Remus, The Pied Piper of Hemelin and The Indian Cinderella) to classic favorites by such wonderful children's authors such as Roald Dahl, E.B. White, Beverly Cleary, C.S. Lewis, and L. Frank Baum. In addition, Trelease has written a special introduction to each story and makes suggestions for further reading.

Paper, 431 pages. 8.9"x6"x1".

#6539 $11.00 $9.99
One copy available.


How to Grow a Young Reader: Books from Every Age for Readers of Every Age, revised and updated edition by Kathryn Ann Lindskoog, Ranelda Mack Hunsicker - The authors take parents, educators, and book lovers on a lively and informative journey through the world of children's literature, revealing strategies for nurturing the love of books and convincing reasons to encourage children to read.

The authors are Christian, so there is a Christian viewpoint. There is also a chapter that addresses specific Christian reading material. However, they cover a wide range of good quality children's literature, not just books that present a Christian worldview.

Paper, 352 pages. 9"x6"x.75". Out of print, one copy available.

#4088 $14.99 $13.99


Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices by Paul Fleischman. This slim volume of poems about the insect world is wonderful! It is written to be read by two voices - sometimes alternating, sometimes simultaneous. When first reviewing it, I had my husband sit down with me to read it aloud to our two children. It was so much fun to read along with another person, especially my husband (we'd never done anything like it before). Then I read some poems with my son, a beginning reader. What a thrill! (I suppose we were also doing what's called "choral reading.")

It's a fun way to read and a good introduction to poems (and to learn about bugs too). Winner of the 1989 Newbery Medal.

Paper, 44 pages.

#0932 $5.99

See Theoni Pappas' book Math Talk  for a similar book of math poems.

Also by Paul Fleischman:



I am Phoenix: Poems for Two Voices
In the same format as Joyful Noise, the author celebrates the essence of birds. A lovely book of poetry.

Paper, 64 pages.

#0924 $5.99



Ox, House, Stick: The History of Our Alphabet by Don Robb, illustrated by Anne Smith - In clear, straightforward prose, this book describes the development of our Roman alphabet, from the early Semitic peoples, through the Phoenicians and Greeks, to the letters we know today. You'll never look at ABC the same way again!

Paper, 48 pages. Ages 8-11.

#6106 $7.95

"Smith's whimsical paintings are a fitting companion to Robb's lighthearted text. This quality work fills a significant gap in children's information literature. It should find a home in all collections." - School Library Journal starred review.

Vocabulary Cartoons: Elementary Edition
by Sam, Max and Bryan Burchers - Learn new words and retain them through mnemonics! "A mnemonic (NEH mon ik) is a fancy word which simply means 'assisting' the memory.' Memory experts tell us that mnemonics are just about the best way to remember anything."

This book uses both rhyming and visual mnemonics. A rhyming mnemonic is simply a "word association where you rhyme a word you want to learn with a word you already know." A visual mnemonic uses pictures. Since you can't make pictures of many words in our vocabulary (such as novelty), you use a substitute word instead.

The visuals this book uses are cartoons and the associations are often quite funny. Example: the word "nourish," which means to help grow or develop. The book uses a cartoon of a nurse feeding a patient, with the line below the cartoon saying "a nurse's job is to nourish the sick." There are then several other sentences using the word "nourish."

Large print. Paper, 250 pages.

#2277 $12.95

There are two other Vocabulary Cartoons books for older kids, as well. Yo Millard Fillmore also uses mnemonics.

Early Readers
 


The First Set of Six Early Readers
written and illustrated by Shelley Davidow - These early readers are phonetically based and contain stories that young children will find enjoyable and entertaining. Each story has a beginning, middle and an ending. The stories are gently humorous while honoring nature, animals and the environment.

The six books use simple words that the early reader will easily grasp. They have been carefully chosen by a reading specialist to help readers advance from the short vowels to the silent "e" to the vowel combinations. At the back of this book is a list of sight words that should be reviewed with the child before reading the book.

It is recommended that the books be read in this order:

Sam Cat & Nat Rat, Ned and Fred, Len Bug & Jen Slug, Jake the Snake, Tim's Boat
, and Kay and Jay.

These are slim books: 5.5" x 8.5", 20 pages per book. The illustrations are gentle, warm and very sweet. The cover of each book is four-color and the inside pages are gray-scale. Printed on natural paper. Available as a set of six only.

#7200 $24.95 $21.99


About the Author and Illustrator: Shelley Davidow is originally from South Africa. Her young adult book, In the Shadow of Inyangani, was nominated for the first African Writer's Prize by Macmillan/Picador and BBC World. The author of numerous books, Shelley lives in Florida, where she is a class teacher at the Sarasota Waldorf School.

 

The Secret Pet, written and illustrated by Shelley Davidow is a continuation of the phonetically based First Set of Six Early Readers. The Secret Pet is the first chapter book in this series and focuses on the phonetic vowel teams, such as ea, ie, oe, ue, diagraphs, open and closed syllables and more.

The story interweaves the animals from the first six books into a more in depth, entertaining and adventurous story. Shelley’s ability to create a humorous and thoughtful story is once again shown in The Secret Pet. Her beautiful drawings bring the story to life and capture the attention of those early or struggling readers and keep them reading until they finish the entire book.

Paper, 110 pages. 5.5"x8.5".

#7217X $9.95 


The Last Little Cat
by Meindert DeJong is a loving, compassionate book perfect for the early reader. It's filled with simple limited vocabulary and repetitive text. The ideal book for ages 6-9, and younger children delight in having the story read to them over and over again.

The last little cat was born in a kennel, surrounded by dogs and dog cages and dog noises. The little cat was always half-cold and half-hungry - until the day it fell into the cage of the old, blind dog.

Then, for a while, the last little cat was warm, and the last little cat was well fed. But how could such a small cat know that barn doors are closed at night and that there are people in the world who do not want to help a helpless kitten.

The story of how the last little cat found a home, and not only a home, but the perfect home, again confirms Meindert DeJong's place among the finest writers of this or any day.

Paper, 70 pages, illustrated, 5.5" x 8.5". Originally published nearly four decades ago and recently brought back in print.

#7006 $7.95


Word Roots B1 Software: Learning the Building Blocks of Better Spelling and Vocabulary (Critical Thinking Press) - Word Roots teaches students the meanings of Latin and Greek prefixes, roots, and suffixes commonly used in English. Learning word elements dramatically improves spelling and the ability to decode unfamiliar words. Word Roots will add hundreds of words to your students' vocabulary and greater depth to their thinking and writing.

For each lesson students first learn the meanings of prefixes, roots, and suffixes. Then they:

- Divide known and unknown words into their elements or assemble elements to form whole words.
- Match word parts or whole words to their definitions by analyzing their meanings.
- Apply their new vocabulary in sentences.

Teaching Support: Includes help and hints, automatic grading, and printable scores.

Features:

- 50 activities
- Can be played with or without automatic grading
- Self-tutoring for independent study
- On-screen and printable instructions
- On-screen hints
- Self-grading - Printable scores
- Saves unfinished games

System requirements:

Platform: Windows®/XP/2000/Me/NT/98/95
Media: CD-ROM
CPU: 200 MHz or faster
RAM: 64MB
800 x 600 res. or higher

Platform: Macintosh®
OS X
PowerPC/Intel based Mac
Media: CD-ROM
CPU: 200 MHz or faster
RAM: 64MB
800 x 600 res. or higher


Home License. One CD-Rom. Ages 12-17+.

#8382 $27.99 $25.99 One copy available.


English from the Roots Up series

 

English from the Roots Up, Vol I: Help for Reading, Writing, Spelling and S.A.T. scores by Joegil Lundquist. If you are interested in learning important Greek and Latin roots, without studying the entire Latin language, English from the Roots Up is for you. It uses 63 Latin and 37 Greek root words. Included is a pronunciation guide, and a neat little explanation of Roman numerals (now you can translate the darn numbers at the end of movies!) My husband, Bill, took Latin in high school and says it helped him with English and prepared him for all the science classes he took as a biology major in college. Paper, 125 pages, Ages 7-adult. You may also be interested in the cards that go with this book and Volume II of the series). 

#1033 $29.95

 
English from the Roots Up word cards (for Vol I)- You can make your own cards to accompany the above book, but everyone I know prefers to use this pre-made set of cards for 100 Latin and Greek words.

#2135 $18.00

English from the Roots Up, Vol 1 Book & Word Cards FUNPak - English from the Roots Up, Vol 1 and one set of the English from the Roots Up word cards for Volume 1. #FUN71 $47.95 $37.99

 

English from the Roots Up, Volume II by Joegil Lundquist- The long-awaited second volume of EFTRU is finally here! Continuing the popular program begun in Volume I, this book gives you 100 new Greek and Latin root words to learn. The new words are a little more advanced than those in the Volume I edition, but are still easy enough for young learners. Many of the lessons also refer to lessons already presented in Volume I. A new feature in this volume: pronunciation guidance for Latin and Greek words on every page. In additions to more advanced content, there are also new activities. You do not need a background in Latin to learn or teach this program. Paper, 107 pages. Ages 9-adult.

#2311 $29.95
 
English from the Roots Up Word Cards (for Vol II)- You can make your own cards to accompany the above book, but everyone I know prefers to use this pre-made set of cards for 100 Latin and Greek words.
 

#2296 $18.00

English from the Roots Up, Vol II Book & Word Cards FUNPak - English from the Roots Up, Vol II and one set of the English from the Roots Up Word Cards for Volume II. #FUN72 $47.95 $37.99

English from the Roots Up Volumes I & II FUNPak
Buy both books (Volumes I & II) and save even more!
#FUN38 $59.90 $49.99

English from the Roots Up Whole Shebang FUNPak - Buy both books (Volumes I & II) and both sets of Word Cards (Volumes I & II) and receive your best savings. #FUN73 $95.90 $71.99

 

Rummy Roots Card Games

Rummy Roots: English Vocabulary Building Games - Our whole family had fun with this card game. After playing, the kids became very aware of all the words in our language that are based on Greek and Latin. "Hey, mom, bicycle-tricycle, two wheels-three wheels!" Exclamations like that would come from the back seat of our car on the way to the post office or from the kitchen table as we ate breakfast. It is designed for 2-4 players, ages 8-adult (our 6-year old played, with help. We also copied the vocabulary list so everyone could have one for reference).

Rummy Roots teaches 42 Greek and Latin roots, alphabetizing, dictionary skills, vocabulary and more using rules based on popular card games like Go Fish. It is fun and challenging, and there are several games on different levels. Play is enhanced by combining Rummy Roots with More Rummy Roots (see below).

Ages 8-adult. For 2-4 players.

 Rummy Roots #RR1 $15.95



More Roots: English Vocabulary Building Games
Ready to learn more? More Roots continues along in the same format as Rummy Roots (above) and introduces new Greek & Latin roots to increase your knowledge and skill level.

There are several games on various levels so it's fun for a variety of ages and abilities.

Ages 8-adult. For 2-4 players.

More Roots #MRR $15.95




Mad Libs and Mad Libs Junior

 
Mad Libs by Stern & Price

I remember having fun with Mad Libs when I was child (several decades ago),and I still have loads of fun creating zany sentences with my children and their friends. Each Mad Libs book is composed of one-page stories that contain blank spaces where words are left out. The person(s) in possession of the book asks other players to give him words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, etc.) without them knowing the story. He then reads the story aloud with their words filled in. Kids and adults love the silly results. It’s a fun AND easy way to learn parts of speech.

Other aspects we like:

* It’s a fun ice-breaker for social gatherings.
* You don’t need to read lots of instructions before playing.
* It’s very transportable and great for car trips!
* It’s fun for multiple age levels (see below for Mad Libs Junior)
* Great as a party game or to give away as a party favor
* Even though it’s great to play with others, you can play on your own if you don’t pay attention to the sentences until after you fill in the parts of speech.
* You can reuse the books (use a pencil and erase original results)

(We especially had fun with the Christmas Carol Mad Libs because we made ourselves sing the resulting songs. The element of singing added to the hilarity.)

Paper, 48 pages.
 
#5151 Christmas Carol Mad Libs $3.99  
#2387 Christmas Fun Mad Libs $3.99  
#6434 Family Tree Mad Libs $3.99  
#823X 40th Anniversary Edition $3.99  
#0591 Goofy Mad Libs $3.99  
#3499 Graduation Mad Libs $3.99  
#1353 Letters to Mom & Dad Mad Libs
This Mad Libs book is a bit different than the others. You fill in the blanks as usual, but each page is formatted as a letter that can be folded and mailed. For mom, dad, grandma and grandpa. Stickers included.
$4.99  
#6237 Mad Libs for President $3.99  
#4431 Mad Libs from Outer Space $3.99  
#4412 Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad Libs $3.99  
#4986 Mad Libs on the Road $3.99  
#0559 Original Mad Libs $3.99  
#7223X Slam Dunk Mad Libs (sports) $3.99  
#0843 Sooper Dooper Mad Libs $3.99  

 

Mad Libs Junior

Featuring the same fun humor as the original series, Mad Libs Junior is tailored for the younger reader. “Each puzzle includes four categories of words to choose from, indicated by a distinct symbol. Each symbol represents a part of speech and a list of words is offered. To play, kids are told the category from which to pick a word, including categories such as nouns, adjectives, verbs and miscellaneous.” Compared to the regular Mad Libs series, Mad Libs Junior books are larger, the font (text) is bigger, and a larger space to fill in the blanks is left for beginning writers.

The publisher recommends these for ages 5-8, though some 8 year-olds might find the format too childish (for instance if they don't like books with large font sizes). The regular Mad Libs books are perfectly fine for young children, especially if an older child or adult is participating. The junior books may be more helpful for the younger child if they want to independently read the material aloud to others and fill in the blanks themselves and may cover subject material that is more interesting to a young person.

Paper, 48 pages.

#7693 Alphabet Mad Libs Junior (great for kids learning their ABC's) $3.99  
#9513 Animals, Animals, Animals! Mad Libs Junior (for animal lovers) $3.99  
#7685 Once Upon a Mad Libs Junior (Fairytale/Nursery Rhyme Theme) $3.99  
#1569 Snack Attack! Mad Libs Junior (All about food, glorious food!) $3.99  
#7707 Sports Star Mad Libs Junior (for sports lovers) $3.99  
#7596 Summer Fun Mad Libs Junior (Highlights some of the USA's most popular travel destinations. Fun for a long road trip, as all of the Mad Libs are!) $3.99  
#7588 Super Silly Mad Libs Junior $3.99  
#3502 Under the Sea Mad Libs Junior (includes underwater creates, from scary sharks to shimmering starfish) $3.99  

 

Writing


 


The Chortling Bard: Caught'ya! Grammar with a Giggle for High School (A Method for Teaching Grammar, Mechanics, Usage, Vocabulary, and Literary Devices with Plots and Vocabulary Borrowed from Shakespeare) by Jane Bell Kiester - Created to meet the special needs of high school teachers, this resource transforms three of Shakespeare's comedies into challenging and humorous daily doses of grammar, usage, mechanics, vocabulary, and literary devices. Easy to adapt, The Chortling Bard supplies three years' worth of sentences, texts, and keys, and a complete grammar reference.

Paper, 240 pages.
10.9 x 8.5 x 0.6.

#5258 $19.95 $14.99
One copy available.


Creating Writers Through 6-Trait Writing Assessment and Instruction, 3rd edition by Vicki Spandel offers a comprehensive overview of the best education strategies and philosophies of writing assessment and instruction. It provides clear guidelines to students on how to draft, assess, and revise their writing. Designed for teachers.

Paper, 416 pages. 9.25"x7.5"x.75".

#2524 $44.00 $26.99





E-Z Edit Tablet - Designed by a professional journalist, this tablet makes it easy to help students strengthen their writing skills. The pages in this 50-page tablet have alternating white and yellow lines. The students write on the white lines, the “editors” (teachers, parents, fellow students, etc.) make their comments on the yellow lines. There is a yellow box on the bottom of each page for detailed explanations and helpful tips. And, because the lines are numbered, it’s easy to reference a comment back to a specific sentence on the page.

All of the pages in the E-Z Edit tablet are perforated at the top and three-hole punched along the side so they can be easily removed and placed in a three-ring binder.

#5502 $4.99


Editor in Chief C1 Software (Critical Thinking Press) - Editor in Chief improves your child's grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, and attention to detail using a standards-based thinking approach rather than drill and practice. This effective method teaches students to carefully analyze and edit stories that contain errors in writing mechanics and story details.

The stories involve mixed-skills practice, starting with easier errors and becoming more challenging as students become adept at the editing process.

The books and software both use the same stories, errors, and rules. The difference is in the way students edit the stories.

Students identify and click on errors in each story. Then they select the category and specific rule that applies to each error, prompting the software to correct the error. On-screen instructions, hints, rules, and answers allow students to work, learn, and succeed independently.

Features:

Provides high-quality independent learning (not "edutainment") with immediate feedback for students and parents.
33 activities
Beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels of play.
Quick and detailed instructions
Hints that help students keep learning even if they don't know a rule-no getting stuck.
Guide to grammar, usage & punctuation that teaches and reinforces concepts
Saves unfinished games
Self-grading, with printable student data

System Requirements:
 
Platform: XP/2000/ Me/NT/98/95
Media: CD-ROM
CPU: 200 MHz or faster
RAM: 32MB

Platform: Macintosh OS X/OS 9-7.5
Media: CD-ROM
CPU: 200 MHz or faster
RAM : 32MB



#6920 $27.99 $25.99  One copy available.


Games for Writing: Playful Ways to Help Your Child Learn to Write
by Peggy Kaye. As with the author's other books, the games in this book are easy, inexpensive, and fun. She covers handwriting, creative writing, spelling, and grammar through the use of more than fifty activities (mazes, baking pretzels, and playing rhyming games are just a few.)

Lists of spelling words and books to read, and a chart listing games by age level are included.

Paper, 213 pages. See also Kaye's books, Games for Reading and Games for Math.
 

#4270 $16.00 $12.99


Great Explorations in Editing, Volume I - Learners learn and review writing skills and grammar as they search for the errors in each written passage:

Editing exercises teach learners to identify and use the techniques of good writing. Specific skills are defined, utilized, and reviewed, with many examples. A complete glossary of writing skills are included, plus vocabulary and more.

Two separate sections: A Lesson in History and Amazing Facts. A total of 90 lessons.

Paper, 108 pages. 8.5"x11"

#2794 $15.00


Handwriting, Early Skills (World's #1 Quick Reference Guides) by Barcharts - A single, double-sided laminated page. 8.5"x11.5". Contains tips for teaching beginning writing skills.

#3634 $2.95 $1.50 One copy available.


Learn to Write the Novel Way by Carole Thaxton, M.S. - Learn to Write the Novel Way is a language arts curriculum for grades 5-12 that:

• Teaches all language arts skills in one writing project
• Provides a finished novel for the student's portfolio
• Is multi-level (review for more advanced students and is introductory for the less proficient in writing skills)
• Reveals the gaps in a student's writing ability and provides specific practices for areas of weakness
• Encourages independent work by "nuggetizing" the task into a thirteen-step process
• Is easy to use for the "coach" (teacher/parent) with clear lesson plans
• Can be used with a group

As parent/teacher you are referred to as "coach" since the best way to learn writing is through the coaching process. You will work along with the student to instruct, oversee the practices, and enjoy together the finished writing assignment each week.

Paper, 242 pages. 8.37"x10.87". Includes student worktext and teacher's guide.

#9006 $45.90 $29.99 One set available.


The Lively Art of Writing: Words, Sentences, Style, and Technique by Lucile Vaughan Payne - Everyone needs to express successfully ideas, opinions, arguments, problems, explanations, or instructions through the medium of the written word. The Lively Art of Writing will answer all your questions, provide you with the best techniques, and offer important information about:

Choosing a subject
Working with words
The sound of sentences
The power of paragraphs
Essentials of style, essays, theses and term papers
and much, much more

This is a small paperback with smallish print, but it packs a powerful punch. The copyright is 1965, and the fact that it is still available shows how useful it has been to users for many years. Some examples are a bit dated which, I think, gives it charm.

Paper, 192 pages. 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.6".

#7121 $6.99



Proper Penmanship Mini Kit (Original Famous Teacher Family Brand) -This mini kit recalls a simpler time when writing legibly and neatly was one hallmark of a civilized person.

The box includes a bottle of ink, an old-fashioned pen with a nib, lined paper, and a penmanship book (all in miniature).

#8671 $6.95 $4.99 One available.


wpeB.jpg (2528 bytes)The 3 R's
by Ruth Beechick. Designed for grades K-3, this useful package includes three booklets: A Home Start in Reading, A Strong Start in Language, An Easy Start in Arithmetic. Also included is a reversible wall chart that includes a hundreds chart and phonics information. Excellent!

Paper.

#9063 $12.00 $10.99



What Are You Laughing At?: How to Write Funny Screenplays, Stories, and More by Brad Schreiber - The definite book on how to "write funny" is the first to compare writing comedic screenplays with fiction and nonfiction in all forms. Using principles developed in his popular UCLA Extension Writers' Program class on humor writing and his CBS Studio City seminars on screenwriting, Schreiber includes:

More than 70 excerpts from such top prose and screenwriters as Woody Allen, Steve Martin, and Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

Unique writing exercises developed exclusively for this book.

Vital information on writing comedy for TV, stage, and audio.

Paper, 304 pages.
8.8"x5.8"x0.8"

#8838 $19.95


Write Away!: A Friendly Guide for Teenage Writers
by Peter R. Stillman. The author of Families Writing incorporates some of that book's excellent ideas targeted for teens. Stillman doesn't provide a step-by-step program for writing in this book; rather he encourages teenagers to use writing as a method of self-discovery and reflection.

With that said, this isn't simply a theoretical book. Rather, it gives plenty of techniques to help young writers to become better writers, to enjoy the writing process, and to take writing seriously.

Paper, 174 pages. 

#3501 $14.95
Out of print, limited copies available.


Writing Because We Love To: Homeschoolers at Work
by Susannah Sheffer, editor of Growing Without Schooling, Through her work with homeschoolers ages 10-15, the author explores how to help kids with their writing and looks at what children do when they are in charge of their own learning. Provides many examples of young writers' work and their reflections on it.

This book is out of print, but we have some used copies. They may have creases, library marks, or highlights.

Paper, 122 pages.

#3013 $18.99



Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within
by Natalie Goldberg is a great book about writing, but it is also about how to use writing to gain understanding about one's self. The author writes "what is said here about writing can be applied to running, painting, anything you love and have chosen to work within your life."

Paper, 171 pages 

#3759 $12.95 $10.35




Wordsmith Apprentice by Janie Cheaney - All the practicality, humor and fun of Wordsmith, but written for the younger student, ages 9-12. An easy to use writing course encouraging students to develop their writing skills as they participate in every role on a newspaper staff: editor, reporter, writer, etc. Children develop a love for writing as they express themselves through sentence and paragraph writing, persuasive writing, and much more.

Paper, 126 pages. Spiral-bound.

#3178 $16.00


Wordsmith by Janie B. Cheaney - For young people who want to improve their writing skills, step-by-step instructions are provided that will help any writer improve his techniques. The introduction provides a brief review of grammar followed by instruction on building stronger sentences, exercise in descriptive and narrative writing, creating dialogue, story writing, and writing from a particular point of view. Plus, the essential skills of every good writer, practice in proofreading and revising.

Paper, 106 pages. Ages 12+.

#3185X $16.00

A Teacher's Guide to Wordsmith by Janie B. Cheaney - Provides the answers to review quizzes found in the above Wordsmith book, as well as an overview, syllabus, and teaching suggestions.

Includes a week-by-week suggested plan of study (based on 36 weeks).

Paper, 45 pages.

#3192 $7.00



Wordsmith Craftsman by Janie B. Cheaney - The third and last of the Wordsmith series focuses on building, integrating, and polishing practical writing skills. This self-directed program allows students to take charge of their assignments and schedules.

Strong in preparing the student for college, Part 1 addresses practical, everyday writing: notes, outlines, personal correspondence, summaries, business letters and reports. Part 2 focuses on the power of language: paragraphs (principles, types, and organization), writing techniques, and developing a personal writing style. Part 3 concentrates on essay writing: descriptive, narrative, expository, and persuasive essays.

Wordsmith equips young adults for a lifetime of excellence in communication skills.

Paper, 118 pages. Ages 15+.

#3208 $16.00

 

Draw-Write-Now Series

 

Draw-Write-Now Series

By popular demand, we are now carrying Draw Write Now, a series of books that contains simple drawing and handwriting lessons for young children. 

Each book is 64-pages long and includes 3 unit studies, with a total of 21 step-by-step drawing lessons in each book. Four short, topic-related sentences are included with each lesson and may be copied by the learner in manuscript, cursive, or italic - whatever style they are learning - for handwriting practice; or they can be used as a starting point for creative writing, reports or journaling.

Each book also includes factual information on each topic, recommended book lists, and numerous ideas to spark a learner's imagination.

Recommended for ages 5-9.

#0712 Book One: On the Farm $12.99 $10.99
#0729 Book Two: Christopher Columbus $12.99 $10.99
#0737 Book Three: Native Americans, Pilgrims $12.99 $10.99
#0745 Book Four: The Polar Regions $12.99 $10.99
#0753 Book Five: The United States $12.99 $10.99
#0761 Book Six: Animals and Habitats $12.99 $10.99
#077X Book Seven: Animals of the World $12.99 $10.99
#0788 Book Eight: Animals of the World, Pt 2 $12.99 $10.99

Buy the boxed set of all 8 books and save even more!
#0798 Draw-Write-Now boxed set $95.99 $75.99

My Draw-Write-Now Workbook is printed on white paper (8.2x10.5) and is oriented horizontally to give the user a long line on which to write and a wide drawing area. There are enough pages to hold all of the lessons in one of the above Draw-Write-Now books with a few extra pages for practice. #0702 $2.99

 

Writing Strands Series

 

Writing Strands by Dave Marks

The goal of this series is to help youngsters become skilled in the following four modes of writing: 1) argumentative 2) explanatory 3) creative and 4) research and report.

The series does not focus on grammar skills but instead shows children how to communicate through their writing. At each level, the learner follows directions that focus on specific abilities and learns to work independently. The work is broken up into manageable pieces that progress over time. Each assignment produces a report, an essay or a piece of fiction.

Writing Strands 1 is a bit different from the rest of the series. It is designed for families of children not yet writing. The book offers games and projects "to help young children understand that words are not just things to use to get what they want, but that they can have fun with them. It is a way to have a family demonstrate its value of language use, to present to children models of behavior, and to have all the members of the family help convince the youngest members that the family they are part of lives creating and sharing through language. It consists of a manual of games and projects and an audio recording of examples, made by the author and his son, of what can be done for and with very young children."

I find the author, Dave Marks, to be very respectful of children and their innate desire to learn. Some of the principles that he followed when writing these guides: every person can learn to express ideas and feelings in writing; there is no one right way to write anything; the ability to write is not an exercise of a body of knowledge that can be learned like a list of vocabulary words; all student writing efforts are worthy of praise.

#4059 Evaluating Writing (This is the parent's manual for all levels of Writing Strands. It is strongly recommended.) $20.00 $17.99
#4462 Writing Strands 1 with audio CD (Oral work for ages 3-8) $14.95 $13.45
#4121 Writing Strands 2 (About 7 years old) $20.00 $17.99
#4105 Writing Strands 3 (Starting program ages 8-12) $20.00 $17.99
#4091 Writing Strands 4 (Any age after Level 3 or starting program at age 13 or 14) $20.00 $17.99
#4083 Writing Strands 5 (Any age after Level 4 or starting program at age 15 or 16) $20.00 $17.99
#4067 Writing Strands 6 (17 or any age after Level 5) $20.00 $17.99
#4075 Writing Strands 7 (18 or any age after Level 6) $20.00 $17.99
#4024 Writing Exposition (After Level 7. Challenging non-fiction writing.) $20.00 $17.99
#4016 Creating Fiction (After Level 7. Challenging fiction writing.) $20.00 $17.99
#4164 Reading Strands (Teaches parents how to discuss and critically examine literature with children. For all levels.)

#D-4164 DAMAGED Reading Strands - this copy has multiple creases on the cover and the inside has about 12 pages that are very wrinkled (but still easily readable).

$20.00 $17.99


$20.00 $  7.00


 

Italic Handwriting Series

Italic Handwriting Series

I have listed the publisher's recommended grade level in parentheses, but the books themselves do not list a grade level. I like this because both our children (ages 8 and 12 when they started using the books) started with Book A. I think it would have bothered our son if the books had been labeled with a grade level. Our 12-year-old moved through the books more quickly than our 8-year-old and is almost two books ahead of her now. 

The style is different from the kind of printing either of our children was doing, so I think starting with Book A was useful for them. They also like the progressive repetition, and the writing becomes progressively smaller as they move through the series. Certainly, other learners may prefer to start later in the series (cursive begins with Book C) or do fewer of the exercises. By Barbara Getty and Inga Dubay. Paper, consumable.

#0923 Book A (Kindergarten) Basic Italic $8.75
#0931 Book B (1st grade) Basic Italic $8.75
#094X Book C (2nd grade) Basic & Cursive $8.75
#0958 Book D (3rd grade) Basic & Cursive $8.75
#0966 Book E (4th grade) Basic & Cursive $8.75
#0974 Book F (5th grade) Basic & Cursive $8.75
#0982 Book G (6th grade & adult) Basic & Cursive $8.75
#0990 Instruction Manual $10.75
#FUN12 Italic Handwriting: Books A-G & Instruction Manual $72.00 $59.99
#1180 Write Now: A Complete Self-Teaching Program for Better Handwriting (Adult) $16.95 $14.99
#1502X Italic Handwriting VHS video - helps you write and teach legible writing. One copy available. $20.00 $14.99


Games

 


Green Alligators: Zoo and Farm Animals (El Lagartito Verde: el zoologico y la granja) - The Giggly-Silly bilingual descriptive word game! No reading required. Pictures are identified to encourage early readers of both English and Spanish.

Green Alligators
is that wonderful little "I'm thinking of" kind of card game, but this one has pictures so you can't change your mind part way through the game! Play with your little one while doing other things around the house; just take a look at your card and start giving clues. Your little one will delight in trying to guess what your card is. Then it is the child's turn to give clues.

It is a non-competitive activity for 2 players, or it becomes competitive when the "big kids" try to out-guess the others!

Ages 4 and up, 2 to 4 players.

#307AX $10.00


Quiddler: The Short Word Game
Because words, like at, is, of, ax, and zoo can lead to winning, readers of all ages can play and win. There are bonuses for both short and long words. You simply combine all the cards in your hand into words. The beautiful letter design on the cards is based on Celtic artwork. 1999 Parents' Choice Award winner, and it has received kudos from many homeschoolers.

1-8 players, ages 8+.

Save even more with the SET FUNPak!

#9150 $12.00 $10.99


Rummy Roots: English Vocabulary Building Games - Our whole family had fun with this card game. After playing, the kids became very aware of all the words in our language that are based on Greek and Latin. "Hey, mom, bicycle-tricycle, two wheels-three wheels!" Exclamations like that would come from the back seat of our car on the way to the post office or from the kitchen table as we ate breakfast. It is designed for 2-4 players, ages 8-adult (our 6-year old played, with help. We also copied the vocabulary list so everyone could have one for reference).

Rummy Roots teaches 42 Greek and Latin roots, alphabetizing, dictionary skills, vocabulary and more using rules based on popular card games like Go Fish. It is fun and challenging, and there are several games on different levels. Play is enhanced by combining Rummy Roots with More Rummy Roots (see below).

Ages 8-adult. For 2-4 players.

 Rummy Roots #RR1 $15.95



More Roots: English Vocabulary Building Games
Ready to learn more? More Roots continues along in the same format as Rummy Roots (above) and introduces new Greek & Latin roots to increase your knowledge and skill level.

There are several games on various levels so it's fun for a variety of ages and abilities.

Ages 8-adult. For 2-4 players.

More Roots #MRR $15.95





Starwords
(cooperative board game) Everyone makes words to cover as many Star Spaces as possible, but each word must be about what you see in the picture. Discuss, share and compare ideas in a natural, friendly way. You can look up words in the dictionary, and you don't have to hide behind your letters. The advanced version involves rolling dice to see what kind of word has to be formed (antonym, adjective, adverb, noun, verb, rhyme). Beginners can play alongside experts.

Ages 10-adult, 1-10 players.

#SWX $25.00

Damaged Starwords Game - The box edge is crumpled a bit and there a small wrinkle on the top.
#D-SWX $24.50 $19.99 (One copy available).

 

 

See our college section for Vocabulary Cartoons, and Tooth and Nail

top of page

 

Home | Contents | Contact Us | Ordering/Shipping | Privacy Statement