By Anna Andresian

Description

Looking at Latin is a complete illustrated grammar reference book for all levels of pre-college Latin, from middle school through high school.

Lessons are designed to cover single topics—from the subject nominative to the impersonal passive periphrastic—which allows for flexibility in the order in which lessons are covered. Innovative visual elements bring clarity and energy to the presentation of grammatical material, with arrows and colored text emphasizing and connecting important points. Information is delivered via small text boxes that allow students to use a step-by-step approach to learning forms and syntax, and comprehensive example sentences illustrate each topic in detail. Abundant color illustrations add personality and humor, producing a visual appeal unusual to Latin grammars.

Whether the student needs to review declensions and conjugations or would like to learn how to use constructions such as the ablative absolute or purpose clauses, this is the book to use.

A class set of this new grammar, Looking at Latin, is a must for every middle and high school Latin classroom. Students continuing in Latin will surely want to purchase personal copies.

Special Features

• detailed table of contents makes finding topics easy
• topics are arranged by grammatical category, making the book as useful for later review and reference as for initial learning
• dynamic layout with text boxes, arrows, examples, and color illustrations
• design expressly targets Latin students from middle school through high school
• illustrations represent the diversity of the modern world

Errata:

• LAL p. 56: licet means "it is allowed"
  
• LAL p. 75: "During" should appear on p. 74 as a phrasing for the Ablative of Time When, and the note on "during" next to the scroll on p. 75 should also appear on p. 74.
  
• LAL p. 184: future tense of sum is ero, eris, erit

Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers, in cooperation with author Anna Andresian, has developed an online ancillary for Looking at Latin: A Grammar for Pre-College.

Click on the page to try Looking at Latin eLearning exercises.

pg. 1 Noun Terminology

pg. 20 Irregular Nouns

pg. 38 Genitive as
an Appositive

Comments and Reviews

THE ADVENTURES OF THE AMAZING MAGISTRULA

By now, you have all heard about Nancy Pearl, the Seattle librarian and author who has her very own action doll that comes complete with "amazing shushing action!" But did you know that there is a Latin teacher out there with her very own action figure? It seems that about four years ago, Anna Andresian was teaching Latin at the Rocky Hill School in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. The Latin classroom was located right next to the preschool room. One day while digging through the toy chest a young child found a small doll that bore an uncanny resemblance to Anna and the rest is history. Mini Miss Andresian has become a legend in her own time and you can read all about her amazing adventures at http://www.magistrula.com. Regrettably, Mini Miss Andresian is not available in stores, but she does have a theme song and somewhat fanatical cadre of enemies, constantly plotting against her. I highly recommend that you visit this clever site.

While you are browsing Magistrula.com, do take a look at Looking at Latin (ISBN 0-86516-615-3, TMRC B38), the Not So Mini Miss Anna Andresian's fabulous new grammar for pre-college students. This is possibly the most user-friendly Latin grammar ever published. Designed for middle and upper school students, Looking at Latin is a graphically rich reference that will definitely appeal to visual learners. Anna uses text boxes, flow charts, memory mapping, typography, color coding and humorous illustrations to maximum effect. Organized by grammatical topic, Looking at Latin is easily navigated and compatible with any Latin textbook program. The appendices provide a traditional summary of grammar. I have no doubt that college and university Latin students will want their own copies too!

Although, priced at $49.95, the book is somewhat expensive, I believe that this is money well spent. This is a reference book that your students will use. My only complaint is that it is paperback, but a hardbound cover would have added considerably to the weight of this 288 page book. I would recommend laminating or reinforcing the cover because this book will see some serious action!

Providing the basic fundamental structures of a timeless language, Looking At Latin: A Grammar For Pre-College by Anna Andresian is an knowledgeably informed, expertly presented, and easy-to-follow exploration of the Latin language specifically designed for Honors Studies and other pre-college students of Latin. Providing young readers with a comprehensive and "user-friendly" general understanding of Latin grammar, Looking At Latin includes a detailed table of contents enabling an easy-to-find mapping of the subject areas covered within its pages, grammatically arranged topics, dynamic layout complete with text boxes, arrows, examples, and color illustrations, and is expressly designed to target Latin students from middle school through high school. An impressive contribution to personal and school library Language Studies reference collections, Looking At Latin is very confidently recommended for novice students of Latin, as well as their classroom teachers and their supportive parents.