Hairy, Scary, Ordinary: What Is an Adjective? (Words Are Categorical) [Paperback]

Brian P. Cleary (Author), Jenya Prosmitsky (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2001 | Age Range: 6 and up | Series: Words Are Categorical

Simple, rhyming text and colorful cartoon cats help children expand their vocabularies and gain an appreciation for the rhythm of language in this lighthearted book of rhyming verse. Adjectives like frilly, silly, polka-dotted, fizzy, and spunky are printed in color, and all the words will tickle you pink!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4-Descriptive words of many kinds are presented in bouncy, rhyming text: "They're colorful, like mauve and puce,/They help explain, like lean and loose,/Baggy, saggy, stretchy, strong,/Much too short or way too long." The text bounces, too, with the words printed in wavy lines and unevenly sized letters. The adjectives are colorfully highlighted and readers will see their function demonstrated in a wide variety of contexts. Little round cats and quirky humans, both with fat noses and wide eyes, humorously illustrate the meanings. The book will probably be used most often to enliven grammar lessons, and is a companion to A Mink, a Fink, a Skating Rink: What Is a Noun? (Carolrhoda, 1999). Unfortunately, the illustrations are too small for group use. While Ruth Heller's Many Luscious Lollipops (Grosset & Dunlap, 1989) is still hard to beat on the subject, Hairy, Scary, Ordinary is a lighthearted, multifaceted illustration of the importance of adjectives in our language.
Adele Greenlee, Bethel College, St. Paul, MN
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Kirkus Reviews

The team that brought us A Mink, a Fink, a Skating Rink: What Is a Noun?(1999) turns its attention with equal felicity to defining adjectives in this antic, illustrated poem. Adjectives, readers discover, are words that ``modify nouns in ways that help tell us / If someone's sincere, delighted, or jealous, / If jackets are herringbone, pinstriped, or plaid, / if babies are crabby, excited, or glad.'' Prosmitsky's amusing cartoons of silly humans and goofy cats illustrate every adjective that lurks in the text, thus reinforcing each meaning visually. Altogether, this entertaining lecture will go far to enliven and enlighten language classes as well as add to the readers vocabulary. Neat, clever, commendable, and groovy. (Picture book. 7-9) -- Copyright ©2000, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Age Range: 6 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Carolrhoda Books (September 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1575055546
• ISBN-13: 978-1575055541
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6.7 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #44,569 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Brian P. Cleary is the creator of the best-selling Words Are CATegorical® series, now a 16-volume set with more than 2.4 million copies in print. He is also the author of the Math Is CATegorical® series and several single titles including The Laugh Stand: Adventures in Humor and Rainbow Soup: Adventures in Poetry.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars All Primary Teachers Could Use This Book! October 25, 2000

By Jamie

Format:Hardcover

As a teacher of third graders, I've used this book and "A MINK, A FINK, A SKATING RINK: WHAT IS A NOUN?" to teach and delight my students, and to take some of the tedium out of parts of speech. Within a day or so of introducing these books, all 27 of my group knew the difference between the major parts of speech. We found out that Mr. Cleary has a website, and I printed out some word-building worksheets off it for free, and a took away a couple of suggestions on how integrate teaching nouns with a fun art project, called the noun quilt, in which each letter of the alphabet has a noun, as in B, BOOT, C, CAT and the students draw the item and eventually it becomes this big old paper quilt full of nouns. His publisher assures me that TO ROOT, TO TOOT, TO PARACHUTE: WHAT IS A VERB? will be in soon, and it's a no-brainer that I'll get that as well.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Hairy, Scary is anything but Ordinary! May 25, 2000

By R. Tobias

Format:Hardcover

This is a great book. It's a neat tool to teach with, and also an interesting trip through the world of adjectives. I think Brian P. Cleary may well be on his way to that rarefied place in children's literature occupied by those manic, witty rhymers Jack Prelutsky and Shel Silverstein. I like how the adjectives are colored to stand out more, and how the book uses language and words that stretch the young reader and never talks down to them. I originally got hooked on the pun series he did with Rick Dupre (illustrator) a few years back, which includes "It Looks a Lot Like Reindeer," and was delighted to see that he's not neglecting the first, second and third graders! Educational, but really hip and a lot of fun, I just loved it and can't wait to buy A Mink, a Fink, A Skating Rink: What is a Noun?

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Time to learn your grammar! July 8, 2004

By Kelli

Format:Paperback

These books are so good at helping kids learn the parts of speech. They give so many clear examples of sentences, with the specific part of speech in a different color so everyone will notice it. I used these in a classroom during english class and they all loved it. A+ to this book!