Find Your Function at Conjunction Junction

Children's Literature - Deborah Zink Brooks

Sentence structure can be challenging for young writers, b-u-t this silly story about a conjunction store illustrates the concept in a memorable style. Teachers searching for new ways to approach grammar reinforcement should enthusiastically embrace this clever approach to the function of conjunctions, the words that connect words or clauses to make sentences. Ben runs a simple store front print shop where folks with broken and awkward phrases rush in to grab some help. With a cut and paste solution, he offers one of seven common conjunctions (and, because, but, for, nor, or, so, yet) that can transform their mess into clearer sentences. Simple, brightly colored and wide-eyed characters enter for business a bit bewildered, b-u-t they all leave with greatly improved communications skills. From the "Grammar Slammin'" series, this book presents a half dozen vignettes of characters attempting to assemble signs, posters, lists, advertisements and menu options at the Conjunction Junction store where they get fixed in a jiffy. Fresh approach to explaining a tricky grammatical concept with a humorous story. Concluding practice page offers a list of sentences with missing conjunctions for strengthening. Reviewer: Deborah Zink Brooks