Although Punctuation: The Write Stuff is written by Mary Budzik, it is definitely part of illustrator and designer Simon Basher’s unique series of books. 
Basher books are edgy, with a sting of humor and a mountain of creativity, and this book is no exception.
The text is written in a light, conversational tone. The punctuation marks are characters who often introduce themselves to the reader, speaking in first person. Possessive Apostrophe (the character on the front cover) says, “When I get ahold of something, that’s that- you don’t get rid of me.” At the bottom of each page are reminders of things to do (and not to do) with that particular punctuation mark. What an excellent way to reinforce learning!
The illustrations feature sweet figures that appear to have roots in Japanese chibi. The characters have a lot of visual clues as to how that particular form of punctuation works. For example, the list-making comma has a list in its hand and a line of commas in its tool belt.
For the student who may not quite grasp grammar yet, this refreshing approach might be exactly what’s needed to bring clarity. The creative illustrations are absolutely fantastic for visual learners. It would also be a wonderful book for the child who simply wants a quick review of the basics from time to time.
In the back, the book shows off its educational roots with a summary of eight different parts of speech and some questions to test comprehension. There is also an index and a three page glossary. Even better, each book comes with a poster of the various characters that acts as reference for study at a glance.
If you are looking for an educational reference about punctuation that’s packed with kid appeal, then this is a book to consider.
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 64 pages
Publisher: Kingfisher; Pap/Pstr edition (July 6, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0753464209
ISBN-13: 978-0753464205
This video shows some of the other books available. You might be able to spot the author’s British roots.
This book was a review copy.
