(4) K-3 Words Are Categorical series. Illustrated by Martin Goneau. Cleary's colorful cats coach the concept (see what we did there?) of alliteration for elementary-age readers. This is Cleary's usual schtick: forced rhymes introduce a term and provide examples, ad infinitum, while the cartoon cats provide exaggerated comic relief in the garishly hued illustrations. Alliterative words are highlighted in the text to aid comprehension. A final chart with examples reinforces lessons learned.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) K-3 Words Are Categorical series. Illustrated by Martin Goneau. Cleary's hyperactive rhymes introduce the language concept. While the definition of suffix provided isn't satisfying, the many examples will help kids begin to understand the term's various meanings and functions in words. The illustrations of zany cats are humorous but distracting; the spreads with embedded charts are most helpful in supporting the text. A final chart with suffixes, meanings, and examples is appended.

Reviewer: Sethany Rancier Alongi

(4) K-3 Words Are Categorical series. Illustrated by Martin Goneau. Colorful cats grin in silly scenes to illustrate homonyms and homophones. Jaunty verse demonstrates how the same word can have different meanings in different contexts (homonyms) and how words sounding the same can have different spellings and meanings (homophones). Word pairs are highlighted in color for clarity. The cartooned antics have a hyperactive quality, but the rhyming storybook form makes the language lesson enjoyable.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) K-3 Words Are Categorical series. Illustrated by Brian Gable. Here Cleary delineates between comparatives and superlatives ("Sometimes, you don't add e-r. / Instead, you reach for 'more'") and introduces palindromes ("word or number, sentence, phrase, or name / that--when it's read backward--is spelled and said the same."). Overly long, singsongy rhymes pair with energetic, unattractive cats careening across brightly colored backgrounds to illustrate the various phrases and words. Review covers these Words Are Categorical titles: Breezier, Cheesier, Newest, and Bluest and Madam and Nun and 1001.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(4) K-3 Words Are Categorical series. Illustrated by Martin Goneau. "Prefixes are word parts / that we add onto a word. / They're right at the beginning, / just like pregame or unheard." Cleary's rhyming text is annoyingly distracting, but his introduction to these "word parts" is sound. Examples of the different ways prefixes affect their root words are helpful, and Goneau's hyperactive cartoony cats add (possibly too much) pizazz to the pages.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) K-3 Words Are Categorical series. Illustrated by Brian Gable. In this book, irregular plurals are any plurals that are not formed by adding -s or -es to the base word; so, even words that follow regular spelling rules for forming plurals (e.g., buddy/buddies) are considered irregular. Truly irregular plurals like teeth, mice, deer, and children are covered, but lightly. Goofy cartoon cat illustrations add interest to the rhyming text.

Reviewer: Sethany Rancier Alongi

(4) K-3 Words Are Categorical series. Illustrated by Brian Gable. Here Cleary delineates between comparatives and superlatives ("Sometimes, you don't add e-r. / Instead, you reach for 'more'") and introduces palindromes ("word or number, sentence, phrase, or name / that--when it's read backward--is spelled and said the same."). Overly long, singsongy rhymes pair with energetic, unattractive cats careening across brightly colored backgrounds to illustrate the various phrases and words. Review covers these Words Are Categorical titles: Breezier, Cheesier, Newest, and Bluest and Madam and Nun and 1001.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(4) K-3 Words Are Categorical series. Illustrated by Brian Gable. Cleary's zany cartoon cats, shown in Gable's brightly colored illustrations, help define and provide examples of contractions. It's an entertaining starting point (or possibly a refresher) for kids learning about contractions; the rhyming text is snappy, but some of the examples are hard to follow.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) K-3 Words Are Categorical series. Illustrated by Brian Gable. Brightly colored cartoon cats define and provide examples of conjunctions and their role in language. Though the pace is frantic, the rhyming text provides clear examples of the concepts; highlighted conjunctions appear in color. Readers will enjoy the exaggerated humor in the illustrations.

Reviewer: Beth L. Meister

(4) K-3 Words Are Categorical series. Illustrated by Brian Gable. "Antonyms are words that / are quite opposite in meaning, / like sleep and wake, / or give and take-- / like messing is to cleaning." Cleary's wacky cat cartoon characters are back in their second book about antonyms. Though the text's pace is frenetic and the examples can be confusing, some of them are creative.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) K-3 Words Are Categorical series. Illustrated by Brian Gable. After the text vaguely describes the differences between similes and metaphors, Cleary and Gable's exaggerated cats present a number of humorous examples. Though the rhymes don't all work perfectly and readers may still come away hazy about definitions, the volume is generally entertaining and accessible.

Reviewer: Beth L. Meister

(4) K-3 Words Are Categorical series. Illustrated by Brian Gable. Cleary's rhyming text lists several adverbs and explains (in frenetic language) how they're used. The attention-grabbing lines will likely stick in readers' heads, though they may find the examples and usages overly specific and underexplained. Colorful cartoon cats dance around the pages.

Reviewer: Beth L. Meister

(4) K-3 Words Are Categorical series. Illustrated by Brian Gable. Cleary provides another introduction to synonyms (Pitch and Throw, Grasp and Know), supplying a range of examples paired with humorous illustrations of cartoony cats. The brief rhyming text offers plenty of "alternatives, substitutes, choices" to create a starting point for discussions, though the frantic presentation is a lot to take.

Reviewer: Beth L. Meister

(4) K-3 Words Are Categorical series. Illustrated by Brian Gable. "Adjectives are words like yellow, / sleeping, slumping, somewhat mellow." Rhyming text attempts to explain what an adjective is, mostly by providing a wide range of random examples; each adjective is set in colorful type to distinguish it from other words in the sentence. As usual, the series's zany cartoons starring goofy large-nose cats illustrate and (sometimes) help explain the text.

Reviewer: Beth L. Meister

(4) K-3 Words Are Categorical series. Illustrated by Brian Gable. Grinning cartoon cats pose in silly scenes to illustrate the concept of synonyms. The jaunty text uses rhythmic verse to demonstrate similarities in word meanings. In the end readers may not be able to answer "What is a synonym? Do you know?" but will enjoy the lesson anyway.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) K-3 Words Are Categorical series. Illustrated by Brian Gable. The big-nosed cartoon grammar cats are back with another rhyming paean to a particular part of speech. This time, the text both defines and gives examples of personal, possessive, and demonstrative pronouns (among others), all of which are set in color for easy identification. The lesson may be beyond some young readers, but the energetic, humorous illustrations and bouncy rhymes are not.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) K-3 Words Are Categorical series. Illustrated by Brian Gable. Cleary's and Gable's zany, big-nosed cats are back, this time to energetically introduce the concept of adverbs. A punning rhyming text explains what adverbs are and do; throughout, sentences containing adverbs (which are set in color for easy identification) are illustrated by brightly tinted cartoon creatures. The lesson may be too frenetic for many readers to understand, but they'll sure enjoy the rush of fresh air.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) K-3 Words Are Categorical series. Illustrated by Brian Gable. The big-nosed cartoon cats are at it again, explaining through zany, energetic pictures, "Prepositions show us where, / like in your bed, beside the chair...." Prepositions in the text are highlighted in color, and although the definition may be vague (a preposition "connects a noun or pronoun to other words in a sentence") and the rhymed meter rough, readers will enjoy the whirlwind grammar lesson.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) K-3 Words Are Categorical series. Illustrated by Jenya Prosmitsky. A colorful cast of big-nosed cartoon cat characters illustrate a series of rhyming examples of verbs: "To dare, defend, descend, disturb--If it's an action, it's a verb!" Verbs in the text, including "to be" and present participles, appear in colored print. Since the book depends so heavily on examples, readers may miss the bigger concept, but they'll still find the lesson entertaining.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam