The Ghoul's Guide to Good Grammar

Grammar can be confusing, no matter if you're an adult, a child, or well . . . even a ghoul. And its rules can be hard to remember or keep straight. Ghastly things can happen when a comma or even a simple period is misplaced. But never fear! We have the perfect book to help you keep your head and your cool. In The Ghouls' Guide to Good Grammar basic rules of grammar such as correct punctuation and appropriate word choices are explained from a monster's point of view. For example, see how a simple comma clears up any misunderstanding between Vanessa and her parents. "Vanessa Vampire loves cooking, her parents, and her baby sister" versus "Vanessa Vampire loves cooking her parents and baby sister." For anyone needing a refresher course on how to use a hyphen or an apostrophe, or is confused by pesky contractions, The Ghouls' Guide to Good Grammar is for you. After all, choosing the right word and the right punctuation to use is as important as picking the right human being to eat for dinner. Back matter includes a short grammar quiz.

Kirkus Reviews

Monsters, witches, and zombies add importance to the grammar and spelling rules in this guide. Starting with end-of-sentence punctuation, the rules are straightforward, and the example is a soft punchline: A monster asks a group of trembling human children, “What’s shaking?” to demonstrate the use of a question mark. The examples get more interesting as different versions of sentences are compared, with their meanings changed by variations in punctuation and spelling choices. A human child says, “Time to eat, Sylvester” to a cat, but a monster says, “Time to eat Sylvester.” Commas, contractions, capitalization, word pairs like than/then, and homophones that fit the theme (hair-raising versus hare-raising) all get straightforward explanations along with illustrated examples. Sections are clearly marked with yellow titles on black banners for easy skimming, and comparisons are laid out in side-by-side panels with speech and thought bubbles. The words being taught are printed in red. The colorful, cartoon illustrations are gross and humorous enough to hold children’s attention over multiple readings as the grammar and spelling rules sink in. The power of grammar and spelling to turn loved ones into meals conveys the importance of detail in proper writing; the playful touches of the ghoul theme make these rules more memorable than the standard textbook guide can. The human characters are racially diverse. A ghoul grammar quiz at the end tests readers’ memories of the rules. A scarily fun addition to the reference shelf.

Feathered Quill Book Reviews

Kimmelman and Sullivan have created a unique book in The Ghouls’ Guide to Good Grammar. With its adorable monster characters and ghoulish theme, Kimmelman’s story is sure to please any young reader, while parents and teachers alike will appreciate its informative and helpful nature.