Your cart is empty
Hairy, Scary, Ordinary
What Is an Adjective?
From the 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!
Awards
- American Bookseller Kids' Pick of the Lists
- Book-of-the-Month Children's Club Selection
- NCTE Notable Children's Book in the Language Arts
Reviews
Book Links
“[A] fast, fun, and rhythmical [series].”
—Booklist Online
Booklist
“The sound of the words, the exaggeration, and the nonsense scenarios will appeal to kids. . .” —Booklist
School Library Journal
“Descriptive words of many kinds are presented in bouncy, rhyming text. . . The text bounces, too, with the words printed in wavy linves and unevenly sized letters. The adjectives are colorfully highlighted and readers will see their function demonstrated in a wide variety of contexts.” —School Library Journal
The Horn Book Guide
“The adjectives in the text are printed in energetic, creative, and colorful fonts.” —The Horn Book Guide
Illustrator: Jenya Prosmitsky
Jenya was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, and lived most of her childhood and teen years in Kishinev, Moldavia (former U.S.S.R.). At age seven Jenya entered the Children's Art Study Group. Three years later she was admitted to Schusev Children's Art School where she concentrated on fine arts. After graduating from Schusev Children's Art School and high school, she continued her art education at Repin College of Arts in Kishinev where she studied fine arts, illustration and graphic design. After coming to the U.S., she received a certificate in Computer Graphics from the School of Communication Arts in Minneapolis, a certificate in Web Design from the Center for Digital Imaging Arts at Boston University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Graphic Design from the University of Minnesota. 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. The series' name took after the cat characters Jenya had introduced to the books. She is the illustrator of the first three titles in the series that continue to stay on Lerner Publishing Group's best seller list since 1999 and can be found in book stores around the world. The titles are: A Mink, a Fink, a Skating Rink: What Is a Noun?, Hairy, Scary, Ordinary: What Is an Adjective?, and To Root, to Toot, to Parachute: What Is a Verb?. Her recent work includes The Wedding That Saved a Town for Kar-Ben Publishing of Minneapolis. Jenya resides in Boston with her husband, Olivier, two daughters, Eugénie and Alexandra, and two cats, Ferruccio and Marcello.
Author: Brian P. Cleary
Brian P. Cleary is the author of the Words Are CATegorical®, Math Is CATegorical®, Food Is CATegorical™, and Animal Groups Are CATegorical™ series, as well as several picture books. He lives in Cleveland, Ohio.
Lerner eSource™ offers free digital teaching and learning resources, including Common Core State Standards (CCSS) teaching guides. These guides, created by classroom teachers, offer short lessons and writing exercises that give students specific instruction and practice using Common Core skills and strategies. Lerner eSource also provides additional resources including online activities, downloadable/printable graphic organizers, and additional educational materials that would also support Common Core instruction. Download, share, pin, print, and save as many of these free resources as you like!
Words Are CATegorical ®
The best-selling Words Are CATegorical® series introduces young readers to different types of words through rhyming verse and illustrations of comical cartoon cats. Offering a lighthearted perspective, each title shows readers the fun and entertaining world of language. View available downloads →
