PRE- AND RE-, MIS- AND DIS-
What is a Prefix?
From the Words Are CATegorical series
by Brian P. Cleary ; illustrated by Martin Goneau
A bright, busy and colorful addition to the Words Are CATegorical series, this time about prefixes.
From the definition of prefixes on the dedication page to the helpful chart on the final page, teachers will find many reasons to turn to this reliable series to supplement their grammar lessons. Fully saturated colors accompany the rhyming text, introducing common prefixes like re- and un-. Goofy characters like wildly colored animals and extraterrestrials move the light verse along, extending the text and helping readers understand more challenging concepts. Using kid-pleasing words like underclothes and bicycle adds to the interest and fun. The final page, a chart with prefixes, meanings and examples, is a particularly helpful addition, allowing students both to study the concept and to add examples of their own. At times, design choices detract from the content. The prefixes are in slightly different colors from the root words, on top of colored pages, which sometimes makes them difficult to discern.
Whether it’s for vocabulary building or helping students understand how to take apart a word to discover its meaning, Cleary and Goneau have the right touch. (Informational picture book. 7-11)