To Root, to Toot, to Parachute: What Is a Verb?

by Brian P. Cleary, Jenya Prosmitsky (Illustrator)

Overview

What is a verb? It's easier to show than explain!

In this fun and animated introduction to grammar, rhyming verse is used to creatively clarify the concept of verbs. Chock-full of colorful, lively examples, the playful rhymes and illustrations of comical cartoon cats combine to hightlight key words in the sentences. Verbs like toss and tumble, jump and jam, jog and juggle, and jig and leap are printed in color for easy identification.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781575054186
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	08/01/2002
Series:	Words Are Categorical Series
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	1,071,415
Product dimensions:	(w) x (h) x 0.13(d)
Age Range:	7 - 10 Years

About the Author

Brian P. Cleary is an American humorist, poet, and author. He is best known for his books written for grade-school children that explore grammar, math and poetry in humorous ways. In his role in the digital division of American Greetings, he's put words in the mouths of Dolly Parton, Christina Aguilera, William Shatner, Meghan Trainor and more. The multi-million selling author has performed poetry workshops in 500 elementary schools across the county. He lives in Cleveland, Ohio.

Jenya Prosmitsky was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, and lived most of her childhood and teen years in Kishinev, Moldavia (former U.S.S.R.). She studied fine arts, illustration, and graphic design at Repin College of Arts in Kishinev before coming to the U.S. For over 10 years Jenya has worked as an interactive/graphic designer and children's book illustrator. She is the artistic creator of the Words Are CATegorical series for Lerner Publishing Group of Minneapolis. Jenya resides in Boston with her husband, Olivier, two daughters, Eugénie and Alexandra, and two cats, Ferruccio and Marcello.

Editorial Reviews

"Jog or juggle, jig or leap, Verbs can tire you out a heap." Author Brian P. Cleary and illustrator Jenya Prosmitsky have teamed up again to give young readers a grammar lesson in To Root, to Toot, to Parachute: What Is a Verb?, a worthy companion to A Mink, a Fink, a Skating Rink: What Is a Noun? and Hairy, Scary, Ordinary: What Is an Adjective? Prosmitsky's signature silly cats act and act and act! Aspiring writers will know by the end of this book that, "If it's an action, it's a verb!" ( Mar.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Gr 2-5-Humorous rhymes present a simple overview of a part of speech that can be quite complex, and the accompanying slapstick cartoons of cavorting cats provide just the right touch of cheeky humor. Together, they painlessly teach a grammar lesson about a word that shows action or being. Ruth Heller's Kites Sail High (Grosset & Dunlap, 1988) is richly illustrated but much harder to understand. To Root, to Toot explains verbs without using terms such as: subjunctive, imperative and indicative mood, active and passive voice, tense, regular and irregular. After reading Cleary's book, young students should be able to answer the question, "What is a verb?" Useful for any collection.-Elaine Lesh Morgan, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

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