.

—full and —less, —er and —ness: What is a Suffix? (Words Are Categorical)

by Brian P. Cleary & Martin Goneau, illustrator

Millbrook Press

978-1-4677-0610-0

Age               32  pages

“A good paper, poem, or book isn’t written, it’s rewritten.” ~ Brian P. Cleary

“What is a Suffix? You’ll find the answer inside this book—it’s overflowing with wonderful suffixes. Brian P. Cleary’s playful rhymes and Martin Goneau’s humorous illustrations creatively present the concept of suffixes for young readers. For easy identification, key suffixes appear in color, and the comical cats reinforce each idea. —full and —less, —er and —ness: What is a Suffix turns traditional grammar lessons on end! Read and reread this book aloud and delight in the sense—and nonsense—of words.”

Opening

“Suffixes are word parts that are tacked on to a word. You’ll find a suffix at the end of farmer and preferred.”

Review

—full and —less, —er and —ness: What is a Suffix is one book of many in Cleary’s series Words are CATegorical. Kids will learn and have fun reading this funny book with the funniest illustrations. They will understand suffixes, and the probability of remembering what they learned increases with each rhyming sentence.

What is suffix? A suffix changes the meaning of the root word. In this edition of Words are CATegorical, Cleary used the four title suffixes and engaging rhyming sentences that kids will understand almost immediately.

“The E-R part of farmer speaks of someone who is doing, like the baker who is baking or the viewer who is viewing.”

Adding crazy illustrations of cats dressed as chefs and decorating cakes—one a disaster—while a third cat waits to eat the finished confection, helps kids remember what the suffix —er adds to a word with their sense of sight. The more senses that are involved, the easier it is to remember the information.

I doubt anyone could have done a better job with suffixes than Cleary and Goneau. Brian Cleary’s writing is a gift. He understands the best way to teach kids and have them truly understand and remember the concept. That would explain the success of not only this series, but nearly everything Cleary has written. Goneau’s illustrations comically present the concept so kids can actually see the suffix at work.

Homeschooling moms and dads need the Words are CATegorical series. The English language, being a difficult language to learn, comes alive in What is a Suffix? One read through and you will understand the mastery Cleary has over the English language and his ability to explain its concepts so kids can understand and remember by book’s end. It makes sense that school libraries should invest in this series. Kids having trouble grasping a language arts concept in class can read the applicable book, from the 25 thus far in the series, adding one more approach to teaching the English language. Sometimes with a new approach, kids get it and Cleary’s approach is most assuredly an “I get it” approach.

.

—FULL AND —LESS, —ER AND —NESS: WHAT IS A SUFFIX? Text copyright © 2014 by Brian P. Cleary. Illustrations copyright © 2014 by Martin Goneau. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Millbrook Press, Minneapolis, MN.

.

Learn more about the series Words are CATegorical HERE.

Get your copy of What is a Suffix, or any of the 25 books in the series at Amazon—B&N—Millbrook Press—your local bookstore.

.

Meet the author Brian P. Cleary at his website:  http://www.brianpcleary.com/

Meet he illustrator, Martin Goneau, at his website:   http://www.goneau.com/

Follow at the Millbrook Press facebook:    https://www.facebook.com/millbrookpress

Millbrook Press is a division of Lerner Publishing Group

.

Also by Brian P. Cleary

.

.

.

.

.

Also by Brian P. Cleary & Martin Goneau

.

.