English Matters! is a series of encyclopedias _targeting the subject of reading, writing and grammar. I selected volume 2, book report-conferencing, to review.
The encyclopeidas are alphabetic, thus the table of contents is a random collection of issues pertaining to spelling and vocabulary, commonly confused words, mechanics and punctuations, grammar and usuage, researching, parts of speech, writing, and thinking skills. Italicized words in the contents indicate commonly confused words. Words that are completely CAPITALIZED are key words that "are the building blocks of English ...To be successful in life, you need to know the meaning of these terms," thus do not expect to be much of anything in life if you are not well-versed in CASE and CLAUSE.
Following the contents is a preface which enumerates the features of the book such as checklists, helpful hints, net sources, and punctuation pointers.
The content of each term is concise. The first entry, book report, is about three paragraphs long. While there are some helpful suggestions, the entry is a long way from any real practical use. "Book report: an essay or oral presentation that is typically assigned in school" is probably not the answer to the question. It is broad, multi-faceted topics like book report, computers, and clarity in writing that demonstrate how a print reference can not compete with an electronic one.
However, there are examples in which English Matters! clarifies an inegmatic topic. There is a helpful checklist to evaluate coherence. There is also a concise but clear explanation of characters, complete with reference to appropiate literary examples of such terms as static, dynamic, flat, and round. This sections mentions characters in Bridge to Terabithia, Out of the Dust, A Doll's House, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.