School Library Journal
Gr 1-3- As in Punctuation Takes a Vacation (2003) and Nouns and Verbs Have a Field Day (2006, both Holiday House), Pulver and Rowe tackle another grammar lesson with humorous examples and whimsical illustrations. The students in Mr. Wright's class have decided that they have had enough of silent letters; they can't be heard and they make spelling too tough. After listening to their complaints, their teacher urges them to email the local newspaper to demand the banning of silent letters. When the letters find out, they decide to escape from the missive and teach the class a lesson. The editors of the newspaper respond with an editorial criticizing the children's "poor" spelling, whereupon the letters reappear to convince the youngsters of their importance and that practice will make the children better spellers. The acrylic cartoon art floats in mid-air against a vivid blue background, yet the usage depicted in each example is clearly matched with the speech each letter is trying to make. This topic could have easily resulted in a didactic lesson, but the story line and examples of silent letters or letter pairs appearing in everyday words lighten the presentation.-Lynne Mattern, Robert Seaman School, Jericho, NY
Kirkus Reviews
Pulver and Reed have once again managed to craft a book so clever and fun that both teachers and students alike will be enthralled (Nouns and Verbs Have a Field Day, 2006, etc.). Even though the silent letters never make a fuss or complain, Mr. Wright's class still does not appreciate them. In fact, the students have had it with silent letters and the difficulty they cause in spelling lessons. They express their opinion in a perfectly typed letter to the editor, but just before they hit send, the dumbfounded silent letters sneak out and hide. Chaos ensues, but then the silent letters parade out of the closet, finally to get the credit they deserve. Within the text itself, silent letters are highlighted whenever they appear. Reed combines acrylic paint with collage to maximum effect: Each of the silent letters has a personality all its own, while her cartoon stick figures convey all the emotion and energy needed to carry the story. Knuckle down and purchase this book or teachers will make your lives wretched. (Picture book. 4-10)
From the Publisher
* "Pulver and Reed have once again managed to craft a book so clever and fun that both teachers and students alike will be enthralled . . . Knuckle down and purchase this book or teachers will make your lives wretched."—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
"The playful design points up the silent letters within the text, and the faux-naive mixed-media illustrations give both human and letter characters lots of personality."—The Horn Book
"Pulver and Rowe tackle another grammar lesson with humorous examples and whimsical illustrations. . . . The acrylic cartoon art floats in mid-air against a vivid blue background, yet the usage depicted in each example is clearly matched with the speech each letter is trying to make. This topic could have easily resulted in a didactic lesson, but the story line and examples of silent letters or letter pairs appearing in everyday words lighten the presentation."—School Library Journal
School Library Journal - Audio
Gr 1–3—Mr. Wright's students are frustrated by silent letters. "We can't hear them, so who needs them? They should be banned!" proclaim the students in an email to the newspaper. Overhearing the complaints and feeling wretched, the silent letters sneak out of the email, leaving it nonsensical and riddled with embarrassing spelling mistakes. Once it's published, Mr. "Rit's" students see the error of their ways and realize silent letters are "mighty fine," not "mity fin." Pulver's latest grammar lesson (Holiday House, 2008) can be a fun accompaniment to what could otherwise be a pedantic word study. Lynn Rowe Reed's bright and inventive letters are made of an array of odds and ends, textures and media. The silent letters in the text are printed in a simple outline-only font. Children may have an "aha!" moment if they see the email—abandoned by the insulted letters—written out before they begin the story. A spoken-only preface encourages listeners to imagine silent letters all having different personalities and voices. John Beach's narration varies with each letter and character and his pacing pairs well with the non-linear text patterns. The story is enhanced with background sounds, subtle music, and sound effects. Page-turn signals are optional.—Jane Newschwander, Fluvanna County Public Schools, VA
