Straight and Curvy, Meek and Nervy: More about Antonyms (Words Are Categorical) [Library Binding]

Brian P. Cleary (Author), Brian Gable (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2009 | Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up | Series: Words Are Categorical

What Is an Antonym? One book is never enough to explore the wide range of antonyms! The zany (not ordinary) cats deliver loads of additional examples to illustrate the power of these opposites. Brian P. Cleary's playful (not dull) verse and Brian Gable's comical (not serious) cats turn traditional grammar lessons on end. Each pair of antonyms is printed in color for easy (not difficult) identification. Read this book aloud and share the delight of the sense--and nonsense--of words.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Fans of Cleary’s Words Are CATegorical series can enjoy another round of antonyms in this amusing look at opposites, a companion book to Stop and Go, Yes and No: What Is an Antonym? (2006). Wild colors and zany, attired animal characters ramp up the humor and the fun in this useful introduction to antonyms. The rhyming, rhythmic text lopes along, succinctly explaining what an antonym is and following up with plenty of clear examples, made not just palatable but actually amusing in the cartoon-like illustrations. One section here shows how adding certain prefixes to words can create antonyms such as pronounce/mispronounce, logical/illogical, and equalities/inequalities. The language-arts curriculum connection makes this a natural choice for school libraries, but the book’s quick-paced writing and visual zip extend its appeal way beyond that of most grammar books. Grades 1-4. --Carolyn Phelan

About the Author

Brian P. Cleary is the author of the Math Is CATegorical ® series, the Adventures in Memory(tm) series, the Sounds Like Reading(tm) series, and the best-selling Words Are CATegorical ® series, including Stop and Go, Yes and No: What Is an Antonym?, How Much Can a Bare Bear Bear?: What Are Homonyms and Homophones?, and To Root, to Toot, to Parachute: What Is a Verb? He is also the author of Rainbow Soup: Adventures in Poetry, Rhyme and PUNishment: Adventures in Wordplay, Peanut Butter and Jellyfishes: A Very Silly Alphabet Book, and The Laugh Stand: Adventures in Humor. In addition to his work as a children's author, Mr. Cleary has served as a tutor in an adult literacy program.

Brian Gable is the illustrator of many of the Words Are CATegorical ® books, as well as the Make Me Laugh joke books and the Math Is CATegorical ® series. Mr. Gable lives with his children in Toronto, Canada, where he also works as a political cartoonist for the Globe and Mail newspaper.

Brian P. Cleary is the author of the Math Is CATegorical ® series, the Adventures in Memory(tm) series, the Sounds Like Reading(tm) series, and the best-selling Words Are CATegorical ® series, including Stop and Go, Yes and No: What Is an Antonym?, How Much Can a Bare Bear Bear?: What Are Homonyms and Homophones?, and To Root, to Toot, to Parachute: What Is a Verb? He is also the author of Rainbow Soup: Adventures in Poetry, Rhyme and PUNishment: Adventures in Wordplay, Peanut Butter and Jellyfishes: A Very Silly Alphabet Book, and The Laugh Stand: Adventures in Humor. In addition to his work as a children's author, Mr. Cleary has served as a tutor in an adult literacy program.Brian Gable is the illustrator of many of the Words Are CATegorical ® books, as well as the Make Me Laugh joke books and the Math Is CATegorical ® series. Mr. Gable lives with his children in Toronto, Canada, where he also works as a political cartoonist for the Globe and Mail newspaper.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Library Binding: 30 pages
• Publisher: Millbrook Press (March 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0822578786
• ISBN-13: 978-0822578789
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,353,100 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

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is an easy way to help your reluctant child or student understand a simple English language concept!, May 6, 2009

By 

D. Fowler "Dragonfly77" (Vermont) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Straight and Curvy, Meek and Nervy: More about Antonyms (Words Are Categorical) (Library Binding)

If you have a youngster who is having trouble understanding simple English language concepts or, in some cases, simply is resistant to learning them, a visually oriented book may just make it easier and fun to learn! The colorful, lively illustrations in this book will draw their attention to antonyms quickly and painlessly.

"Antonyms are words that are quiet opposite in meaning, like sleep and wake or give and take-like messing is to cleaning." On the two-page spread with this sentence we see bunkbeds in which one cat is sound asleep, the other wide awake, while yet another cat enters the room with a vacuum to clean up the messy room. After several pages of simple antonym examples, the slightly more complicated addition of prefixes such as un, non, im, dis, and mis are illustrated and explained. Next the author introduces the prefixes anti, il, ir and in.

Antonyms "offer rich contrasting words that help us to distinguish day from night and wrong from right-and brighten up our English!" This book is a bright, rhythmical way to encourage the reluctant student to not only grasp a concept, but to actually enjoy learning. This book would be a welcome addition to any classroom or homeschool shelf.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Appealing Antonyms, April 13, 2009

By 

CD "devotedmomof7" (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Straight and Curvy, Meek and Nervy: More about Antonyms (Words Are Categorical) (Library Binding)

Children will grab this attractive book up and learn in the process. From its colorful cat illustrated cover to its thought inducing end, the book is filled with delightfully demonstrated antonyms - including antonyms formed by prefixes.

The illogical (see, I learned something) change from metered verse to unmetered (there I go again) verse slightly irritated me, but not enough to detract from a 5-star rating.