FICTION

Ms. Spell

by Ethan LONG
illus. by Ethan Long. 32p. Holiday House. Sept. 2015. Tr $15.95. ISBN 9780823432929; ebk. $15.95. ISBN 9780823434893. LC 2014019145.
COPY ISBN
K-Gr 2—Pink-haired Ms. Spell has a magical stick to assist her students in correctly spelling common, yet tricky words. As she conjures up increasingly wacky scenarios, the classroom becomes more laughingly chaotic. Long's digital artwork is silly, amusing, and colorful. Young readers attracted to the story might possibly remember the mnemonic tips, rules, and other helpful information incorporated into the tale. Endpapers include a list of about two dozen frequently misspelled words used in the story (including there, their, they're), a "how to study spelling words" chart, and additional memory aids (such as "separate has a rat in the middle") and spelling rules ("I before E except after C").
VERDICT This entertaining and instructive story is a good choice for early elementary students, and young English-language learners.
Reviewed by Gaye Hinchliff, King County Library System, WA
After her students attempt to spell a word, Ms. Spell produces the answer through magic (e.g., "Chicken lips and earthworm hair, / spelling stick, please show us their!"). Thwarting this clearheaded book's mission to elucidate is its chaotic presentation: the cartoonish art features panels, dialogue balloons, asides to the reader ("They're is a contraction that means 'they are'"), and more.
 , Aug 01, 2015

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