I'm using Elementary Japanese by Tuttle Publishing. My boyfriend whom has studied Japanese for four years says it's quite a good book to use.
Check it out, I enjoy it... the only problem I have with it is that it's more of a classroom environment friendly book; it consistently has you read grammar sections of the book (dialogue cartoons) with new vocabulary without telling you
EXACTLY which particles are which and which words are your new vocabulary words.
Only a teacher who had studied more Japanese, while reading it out would tell you what particles and new vocabulary words are being used.
I find myself ocassionally flipping back and forth between the cartoons trying to find which parts are the new vocab words and trying to remember how the particles work....
It's REALLY not easy to study by yourself! crying
I guess I'm just flipping through the sections of the book too quickly and not really trying to make myself remember how particles are being used and remembering important vocabulary words. You might find the book easier to use if you're much more dedicated than me! *laughs* XD
If my boyfriend would study more with me instead of being so.... bored with the newbie Japanese stuff, I'd probably learn quicker *laughs*.
I really, really liked Tuttle Publishing's practice kanji workbooks.. I looked at them and they're really newbie friendly because they give you the strokes and the boxes to practice them in.... Rather than quite a few kanji books that I've seen that give you a vague idea of the stroke order and barely any space to practice. >_> I really wish I was able to buy them when I had the chance!!!!
gonk crying I'll probably buy them the next time I visit my Japanese book store in Seattle... ;_; I just hope I can afford them the next time I go! v_v;;;