Book reviews - homework help

ABCs (Get Ready for Reception) by Penny Dowdy 

 Pull-the-Tab Times Tables! by Nat Lambert

 Pull-the-Tab Dividing Sums! by Nat Lambert

Pull-the-Tab Taking Away! by Nat Lambert

 Pull-the-Tab Adding Up! by Nat Lambert

 First Illustrated Maths Dictionary by Kirsteen Rogers

Improving Spelling 5 - 6 by Andrew Brodie

School Fail: Hilarious Howlers from School from Michael O'Mara Books

Yes, I know this book won't actually help with that tricky homework, but it will give a well-deserved and very entertaining break! Packed with a wide range of classroom howlers, some of the things children say are almost unbelievable. The hilarious quotes, covering a wide range of subjects, are complemented by specially commissioned cartoons. And if you get distracted by the book and don't complete your homework how about this for an excuse? "It was a cloudy weekend and I have a solar powered calculator." Perfect to fill awkward gaps in a conversation or to help skate over tricky moments. Great fun!

So You Really Want to Learn Junior English Book 3 by Andrew Hammond

Written for Year 5 pupils, this provides the fundamentals of grammar, spelling and punctuation. Lively reading passages drawn from a wide selection of texts and suggestions for further reading combine with challeging exercises and 'Other things to do'. Clear explanations of topics are followed by exercises to reinforce learning. The range of comprehension exercises is good - we are so often asked for comprehension texts. Plenty of variety in the book means English won't be perceived as 'boring'! Attractively presented, with lots of colour illustrations and photographs. Parents confident in their grasp of English may be able to help children with their answers, otherwise you will need Junior English Book 3 Answer Book

So You Really Want to Learn Geography Book 2 by James Dale-Adcock

An excellent book, written for Year 8,  for preparation for the geography element of Common Entrance, written by someone who obviously has vast experience in his field - the exam tips and chapter on exam technique are particularly useful. There are chapters on map reading, landforms, weather and climate, settlement and location. The book includes more challenging scholarship level questions too. So you really want to learn Geography Book 2 Answers provides the answers to the questions in this book and So You Really Want to Learn Geography Book 1: A Textbook for Key Stage 3 and Common Entrance covers Year 7 material.

Maths Practice Exercises 13+ by David E Hanson

Learn ICT: Spreadsheets, Graphs and Charts by Anne Rooney 

This is an excellent guide to help parents understand what may well be the mysteries of spreadsheets, graphs and charts. Written in easy-to-understand language, this book (and the rest in this very good series) will be welocomed by both parents and children. The pages are clearly laid out and liberally sprinkled with examples, so the reader can see exactly how each stage of the process should look. It is not dry reading at all, but the topics are put over in a really interesting way that is bound to stimulate discussion and generate enthusiasm. There are lots of hands-on activities and projects for children to undertake which will make learning fun.

Write Stuff: Creative Writing for Girls by Holly Brook-Piper

Boys and girls have very differing interests - that goes without saying! It is great therefore to see two books, one for girls and one for boys, encouraging creative writing. Both books are perfect for KS2 pupils. It starts with story planning; continues with writing exercises;and  moves on to developing the story. This is followed by different writing genres - poetry, free verse, reporting, travel writing and comics. Finally - a section just for the child's own work. The books are attractively presented, with fold-flat spiral binding, each section is tabbed for easy reference, and there is lots of space for children's own work. An excellent way to inspure writing.

Write Stuff: Creative Writing for Boys by Holly Brook-Piper 

The Murderous Maths of Everything by Kjartan Poskitt

Who said maths can't be fun? A full colour book from the author of the popular Murderous Maths series from Scholastic Books, this is packed with fun ways of increasing maths skills. The reader is taken on a tour of the Murderous Maths building where a huge range of activities are going on - there are murderous pennies, infinite flowers and exact eggs, how to win a load of money... the list goes on. Each mathematical concept is clearly explained, there are activities to try out and links to related topics. Kjartan Poskitt has a real passion for maths and this comes across wonderfully in all his books, and never better than in this one. Brilliant cartoons add to the fun. A super book for home or school use.

Is Their Alot Wrong With This Centence? by Daniel Smith

If you love the English language, this is the book for you. Subtitled  'An English Grammar Workbook', this is a fascinating guide to the correct use of our language. We all need to be able to use language to express ourselves correctly, be it in exams, for job applications, writing letters and articles - the list is endless. So many problems arise through lack of practise - use of texts and emails makes us lazy! The good thing about this book is that, as well as explaining the principles, there are lots of questions and exercises to ensure that the information has really sunk in - we all learn better when we use what we learn. There are 103 quizzes which are great fun to do withg other people. Well-written, entertaining and informative, this is an excellent book for all age groups and would make a great gift.

How To Write Poems by Wes Magee

This series from QED Publishing, subtitled 'Pin Your Ideas to the Page' is so useful. It addresses brilliantly a question we are so often asked - 'How can I help my child with writing?'.Written in an approachable and easy-to-follow style, with activities and suggestions, this series would be great for families to have at home to help with homework. Each includes an index and glossary and a page of useful tips for parents and teachers.
When children come home and say 'I have to write a poem', parents can panic. Poetry does not come easily to many of us, but this book makes it simple to understand the basic concepts and make a start. It covers different kinds of poetry, getting ideas, rhyme and rhythm, how words sound and much more. Clearly presented, children can work through the ideas and produce poetry of which they can be proud.

 How To Write Reports by Anne Faundez

Factual writing is an important skill for children to acquire and it is helpful for SATS. This book covers skills which will be useful in writing projects for school as well as reports for use in writing reports. Sometimes the hardest thing is to reduce the amount of information to manageable proportions and this books gives excellent guidance on doing this. Different types of factual writing, and the differing approaches needed, include project writing, persuasive writing, recount writing and reports. An excellent guide.

How To Write Stories by Celia Warren

Creative writing - we are so often asked for help! This book answers so many questions and is full of inspiring ideas to make story writing possible for every child. You can boost their confidence by using the ideas in this book and that in itself will be a huge boost to aspiring writers. There is help on starting a story, creating believable characters, planning a story, pace and timing and much more. This series is clearly presented - boxes of information are clearly laid out and there is not an overload of information. Plenty of use of colour make the books attractive. A really valuable series. 
 

How To Write Letters and Emails by Celia Warren 

The art of letter-writing is in danger of being lost with modern methods of communication, so I like the fact this book focuses on letter writing and emails. Children still need to write letters - from those all-important thank you letters, to having the necessary skills to hand once they move on and need to write applications. Particularly useful are the ideas on layout and presentation, and the clear layout of the book itself is an excellent example. I recommend this series to all parents and teachers.

Homework Help for Mums and Dads by Karen Dolby 

Subtitled 'Help Your Child Succeed', this book sets out to help parents to know the best ways to help their children with homework - without doing it for them! So many parents want to help with homework but are unsure about the teaching methods used in school. This excellent guide is aimed at parents of children from 7 up and covers numeracy, literacy and science in depth, and also helps with history, geography and ICT, all in a way tyhat makes learning fun. Maths is an area of particular concern to parents as so much has changed since they were at school. The key topics are covered with clear, succinct explanations and plenty of diagrams. Literacy and science are covered in equal depth. In all topics, there are clear definitions given of the vocabulary, and there are useful tips from parents and teachers.This is a reassuring and practical read for parents - well worth getting a copy.

The Fear of Maths and How to Overcome It by Steve Chinn

Everyday English by Michelle Finlay

English is a complex language full of pitfalls for the unwary. This book sets out to demystify and help us all - native speakers or not - to use English clearly and correctly. In our modern world, correct use of English often gets overlooked - read this authorative yet readable book to ensure you and your children use clear and correct English. This is particularly important in formal situations, such as applying for college or employment, but if we sue English correctly all the time, it will become second nature. The book covers basic parts of speech, sentences, punctuation, spelling, pronunciation and communication. An excellent book, which I found easy to read - can be used to dip in and out or read through by anyone with an interest in the English language.

My First Ladybird Thesaurus

A thesaurus - dry and boring? Not this one! This is the perfect first thesaurus to encourage children to use a variety of words in their speech and writing. It is so important to encourage use of thesaurii and dictionaries from a young age and this, along with its companion My First Ladybird Dictionary is the perfect way to do this. Each word has a usage suggestion thus helping children to choose the most appropriate word. The font is clear and child-freindly and there is plenty of white space as well as illustrations to keep interest up. The alphabet along the side of each page is an excellent device to help learning.

 Phonics Workbook 1 from Usborne Books

This colourful book, packed with activities, is an excellent learning resource for early phonics, featuring the letters s,a t, p, i, n, m and d. Carefully constructed, the activities ensure that each letter is fully understood before moving on to the next. Activities include colouring, tracing, saying sounds - and lots of colourful stickers to reinforce learning in a fun way. There are helpful notes for parents at the beginning to ensure that childrenget the maximum possible benefit. Three more books complete the set.

Activity Flash Cards Animals by Roger Priddy 

Another brightly coloured and attractive aid to early learning from Priddy Books. 26 sturdy shiny double sided cards, featuring a wide range of amimals, all depicted in lovely full colour photos against bright backgrounds.Under each photo is the name of the animal, followed by the name outlined for children to write over. The wipe clean cards and pen (supplied) mean these can be used over and over again.  A super way to help children learn to read as well, as you share the flashcards.

 Activity Flash Cards Words by Roger Priddy

Another colourful set of wipe-clean flashcards - this set to help children learn to write words. Like Animals, the cards are packed in a clear plastic slip case, to keep them clean and to store them together with the pen, which is included. Help to develop writing skills and fine motor skills for Foundation Stage children (3+0). With a bit of imagination, I am sure you could think of some fun games to play with these cards too! Super sets which will really stimulate learning.

 You Can Do It! Spelling by Andy Seed

One of the most commonly asked questions on Parents in Touch is 'How can I help my child with spelling?' This book is a great resource for children and adults. It covers all the common spelling problems, for example words easily confused, apostrophes and silent letters. It is also packed full of strategies to help with spelling such as the look-say-cover-write-check method and useful rules. Split into sections under the topics above and lots more, on each page, you will find a key point , examples to show correct usage, and a summary at the end. All this, generously embellished with lots of cartoons and jokes, adds up to a really readable and fun way of learning a vital skill, in a way that is both memorable and enjoyable.

You Can Do It! Grammar by Andy Seed 

The Odd Mob make a dry subject really fun in this book. Grammar can be tricky to grasp but sometimes it can be embarrassing to keep asking questions, so just pick up this handy guide to help with all those uncertainties. The book covers all the key parts of speech and how to use them, divided into easy to manage sections. Plenty of fun to read as you follow the Odd Mob through the 'stories' in the book. It could be read for fun, whilst picking up loads of useful facts on the way - the sort of book that will have children saying 'I didn't know that' - and then hopefully, remembering it. Try Punctuation (You Can Do It), as well.

Wipe Clean First Letters by Stacey Lamb

This attractive book will give your child plenty of letter-writing practice. The sturdy wipe-clean pages and the pen supplied will last for ages. This is not just a boring list of letters to go over and over again, but a series of shapes and letters integrated into the colourful scenes - a treasure island, space, the beach and many more. The letters are grouped by shape and difficulty, thus ensuring a confident start - after all, a is a hard letter to start with! The first page features v, w, x and z and there are zigzag shapes as well as the letters to be discovered on the picture. Moving on, the next page introduces curves with i, k and l. The groupings continue through to c,s and e at the end - and then the whole aplhabet is there.  A really well thought-out book that children will love.

 Times Tables - Wipe Clean Workbook by Roger Priddy

The concept of wipe-clean books is super. Children can try and try again, and they enjoy the wiping off as much as anything! Learning tables is absolutely essential - it is the key to studying maths. This is a practical and easy to use book, with lie-flat binding and durable pages. Children are progressively taken through the learning of tables, starting with 'sets' to count then multiply. Each table is then illustrated by picture 'sets' to introduce the concept, followed bt the table to complete (over and over!) and learn. A colourful and child-friendly book.

 Tell the Time - Wipe Clean Workbook by Roger Priddy

26 pages of practical exercises to help children grasp the important concept of learning to tell the time. It is not always easy for parents to know how to teach their children to tell the time, so this book will prove to be very helpful. It starts by introducing children to the numbers on the clock face and continues with o'clock. 'My Day' gives children the opportunity to put time into context with their activities. 5 minute steps, talking the time, quarter hours are all covered. The book ends with practical activities to help children understand many concepts around telling the time. Clearly explained and colourful, this is a super book.

Phonics - Wipe Clean Workbook by Roger Priddy

Help your child with early phonics with this clear and colourful wipe-clean book - complete with pen. Lots of pictures of familiar objects, letters to trace, sounds to identify, rhyming words and a table of words at the end so children get the satisfaction of demonstrating their knowledge.
We all know that children need to repeat and reinforce work to learn effectively, so this series of wipe-clean books from Priddy Books  is excellent for children of 3+ to start learning at home. Try some more in the series 
Numbers 1-20 [With Wipe Clean Pen] (Wipe Clean Workbooks)
Tracing and Pen Control [With Wipe Clean Pen] (Wipe Clean Workbooks)
Uppercase Alphabet [With Wipe Clean Pen] (Wipe Clean Workbooks)

Cutting and Pasting - Motor Skills Workbook by Roger Priddy

All children love cutting and sticking and whilst they are having fun, they are actually developing really important motor skills. It Starts with lines to cut along and then develops the skills with pictures to cut out and stick onto colourful pictures. These develop in complexity and the child can create some really good pictures by the end. Hours of fun for children of 3+.

 William's Words in Science by Dr William Hirst

This book is cram-packed with useful information for KS3 students and is an invaluable resource for both home and school. The main part of the book is a dictionary which gives the scientific meanings of all the words a student is likely to encounter. This is supported by a wealth of other material - biographies of over 150 scientists and a section of 'really useful information', such as abbreviations, chemical formulae, the periodic table and some very useful mnemonics to remember those key scientific facts. The final section is encyclopaedic definitions and illustrations, cross-referenced to the dictionary section. This is a really well-thought out reference book and I think it would continue to be useful throughout KS4 too. It even comes with a protective cover! See the SmallWords website for more resources.

 Write Every Time (or should that be right?) by Lottie Stride

English can be really tricky to grasp, so this book is just the answer! Ideal to dip in and out when you have a question, or to read right through - and I can gaurantee that, at some point, you will say "I didn't know that!" Full of fascinating snippets of information, this is far from being a dry guide and is perfect for all lovers of the English language. With the current concern over literacy levels, we all need to encourage children (and not least, by our own good example) to be diligent over correct use of English. The book covers grammar, spelling and punctuation and is full of examples of correct usage. Buster Books publish many more great titles, so take a look at their website.

Tutor Master helps you write stories Book 1 

One of the questions we are commonly asked is 'How can I help my children write stories?'. The book starts with a brief outline of the parts of speech and goes on to include a comprehensive list of the emotions which can be expressed through stories - a useful starting point. Tutor Master tells us that stories must have a beginning, a middle and an end, and then takes us through a range of common themes for stories to inspire children.

Tutor Master helps you write stories Book 2 

This book develops the ideas started in Book 1 and encourages young writers by telling them everyone has stories worth telling. Different styles of writing are introduced to enable children to make their stories more interesting. As in Book 1, there are 20 story plans to help the young writer gain inspiration. The book ends with ideas on writing a book review.

 Tutor Master helps you with Comprehension Practice Standard Set 1

David Malindine has compiled these books to help students in Years 5 to 7 with comprehension. They are useful for all, but will be particularly valuable to those preparing for Common Entrance and 11+ tests which include English. It is essential that all children can read and make sense of the written word and these books are the ideal aid to reinforce learning and find possible areas for improvement. There are five comprehension passages designed to appeal to differing interests, and 10 suggested essay titles. The answers are given, but with the proviso, in many cases, that the marker should decide.

 Tutor Master helps you with Comprehension Practice Multiple Choice Set 1

This set is particularly useful as it familiarises children with the multi-choice format that they may meet in some exams. Again, there are five comprehension passages and 10 essay titles. Although the passages are the same, the essay titles are different and the comprehension questions take a totally fresh approach. It's worth checking which format your child will be tested on. Useful tests for spelling, punctuation and grammar are inluded.

 Tutor Master helps you learn English - a literacy dictionary

This book is a wonderful support for KS2 students and above. It explains over 500 words related to English and literacy and will be really useful to parents helping their children. If your child comes home saying 'I've got to write a cinquain....or a clerihew.....or a haiku' then this is the book to ensure you know what they are talking about. I partcularly like the examples given in separate boxes, making the meaning of the term absolutely clear. It will also be useful to those for whom English is not the first language. An invaluable aid - highly recommended and excellent value.

 Science Homework Book 1

Thisis the perfect resource to support the new QCA Programme of Study and the new Framework for Science. The book provides exciting and varied activities for all levels in order to ensure good progress and success for every student at Key Stage 3.

KS3 mathematics - Homework Handbook

This book is set out in an easy-to-use alphabetical style, with useful cross-references, to guide students as they work on homework assignments. Written by experienced teachers, this book is curriculum based, and concentrates on popular homework topics and the areas where students often have most difficulty.