To Root to Toot to Parachute: What Is a Verb (Words Are Categorical) [Hardcover]

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

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up | Series: Words Are Categorical

What is a verb? It's easier to show than explain! In this fun and animated introduction to grammer, 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, jig and leap are printed in color for easy identification.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"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!"

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 5-8. For children who believe learning grammar can't be fun, here's something fresh to consider: a sparkling look at verbs ("words that show action or being") that might just change their minds. It's not the writer's first dance with elements of the English language. He's tackled other grammar basics in previous books in the Words Are Categorical series--among them, Hairy, Scary, Ordinary [BLK Je 1 & 15 00], which introduced adjectives. But there is something special about this verbal adventure. Cleary's energy and sunny choice of words make the book lively and delightfully bright, a feeling reinforced by the action-packed illustrations scattered across the pages. Children can use the book in class or at home with help from a grown-up. The author proves once again that "educational" doesn't have to mean dumpy and dull. Kelly Halls
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Carolrhoda Books; 1ST edition (April 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1575054035
• ISBN-13: 978-1575054032
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #103,072 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.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

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

By 

Kelli (Somewhere out west) - See all my reviews

This review is from: To Root to Toot to Parachute: What Is a Verb (Words Are Categorical) (Hardcover)

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!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars To Root to Toot to Parachute: What Is a Verb (Words Are Cate, December 13, 2004

By 

J. Thorne (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: To Root to Toot to Parachute: What Is a Verb (Words Are Categorical) (Hardcover)

My five year old daughter loves this book! Prosmitsky's colorful illustrations make it so much more fun learning the parts of speech. My daughter adores the illustrator's goofy pillow-like cats!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Verbs to Build On, April 2, 2011

By 

VReviews (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: To Root to Toot to Parachute: What Is a Verb (Words Are Categorical) (Hardcover)

Cleary's "Words are CATegorical" series aims to teach young students the parts of speech; and language devices such as simile, and metaphor through humor, rhyme, creative story telling, and a zany group of animals.

The Verb book defines both action verbs and the difficult to grasp "state of being" verbs. Young elementary school students will enjoy the cast of wacky characters as they learn about verbs. Throughout the Cleary grammar series, the format is the same. The definition is stated right off the bat, and then the story is simply one verb example after another, with colored text to emphasize each verb used. Verbs, does a fantastic job with action words; but just scratches the "state of being" side of verbs, which kids typically struggle with understanding. So more depth here is needed. The illustrations are more detailed than in the Nouns book, but are still lacking the richness that comes with the later books in the series when illustrator Brian Gable jumps in.

All in all, this book is a great instructional tool to get kids thinking, and to start grammar instruction off with interest and fun.