In The Greatest Gatsby, Tohby Riddle makes grammar come alive with stylistic images and typography. The premise is simple: grammar is the intangible building blocks of our language and the best way to make an abstract concept understandable is through images.

The book is structured in a logical order, starting with the fundamentals of grammar: letters and words. Riddle then goes on to explore the word classes, such as nouns and verbs, in detail and then moves on to affixes and sentence structure. The content is comprehensive although nothing new (after all, grammar is grammar) however Riddle’s clever use of imagery and texture gives this often dry topic a new energy and engages the reader to delve deeper into the nitty gritty of the English language.

For ages 8 and up.

Louisa Dretzke is a friend of Readings.