BRIAN P. CLEARY AuthorBorn in Lakewood, Ohio, American humorist, writer and poet, Brian P. Cleary has 1 million books in print. The Academy of American Poets lists his biography, along with Whitman, Emerson, Shel Silverstein and Robert Frost.
BRIAN P. CLEARY Author
Born in Lakewood, Ohio, American humorist, writer and poet, Brian P. Cleary has 1 million books in print. The Academy of American Poets lists his biography, along with Whitman, Emerson, Shel Silverstein and Robert Frost.
A frustrated student and reluctant learner, Cleary daydreamed his way from class to class until being introduced to poetry in third grade. Ogden Nash, e. e. cummings, Lennon & McCartney - even the bawdy musical lyrics in the Marx Brothers' comedies set him on a course to explore and celebrate the wonder of words. Ironically, he is now found back in the classroom, as he's shared his love of our rich language with 75,000 students in 34 states.
He has written cartoon gags which have appeared in more than 600 newspapers worldwide, and written humor essays for national and local magazines and newspapers, and has had an award winning children's book read on Minnesota Public Radio.
Since graduating from John Carroll University with a degree in communications in 1982, he has worked in one of the 5 largest creative divisions in the world, American Greetings, where he currently holds the title of Senior Editor on the Humor Staff. He has worked on licensed properties from Garfield to Opus and Bill to Ziggy to Nickelodeon characters.
International and National Awards of Recognition:
The Children's Choice
ABA Kids' Pick of the List
ABA Kids' Pick of the List
Benjamin Franklin Award (First Place)
Society of School Librarians International Book Awards, Honor Book
Published Books
Stop and Go, Yes and No: What Is an Antonym?
by Brian P. Cleary Reading level: Ages 9-12 Library Binding Publisher: Millbrook Press (May, 2006)
ISBN: 157505860X 
The Mission Of Addition (Math Is Categorical)
by Brian P. Cleary, Brian Gable (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 4-8 Library Binding: 32 pages
Publisher: Millbrook Press (June 1, 2005)
ISBN: 1575058596
How Much Can A Bare Bear Bear?: What Are Homonyms And Homophones?
(Words Are Categorical)
by Brian P. Cleary, Brian Gable (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 4-8 Library Binding: 32 pages Publisher: Millbrook Press (September 1, 2005)
ISBN: 1575058243
Pitch And Throw, Grasp And Know: What Is A Synonym? (Words Are Categorical) by Brian P. Cleary, Brian Gable (Illustrator) Reading level: Ages 4-8 Library Binding: 32 pages Publisher: Carolrhoda Books (November 1, 2004)
ISBN: 1575057964
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal With their comical cartoon characters and Seussian rhymes, Cleary and Gable have already claimed their niche for providing grammar instruction in a clear, lighthearted manner. Useful for introductory lessons on the topic, this book will help teachers to model better writing and to demonstrate the value of an expanded vocabulary. "Synonyms help us be less repetitious," chants Cleary, "by letting us choose between blue plates or dishes." Each page presents Gable's zany creatures immersed in a new adventure; synonyms are indicated in a common color that contrasts with the black text. While students may still struggle to come up with more original word choices of their own, this excellent text goes a long way toward establishing the importance of synonyms.–Gloria Koster, West School, New Canaan, CT
From Booklist With a simple, silly rhyme and wild cartoon scenarios of animal characters in action, this picture book in the Words Are Categorical series shows and tells the meaning of synonyms. The lessons ("Synonyms help us to be more exact"), with synonyms highlighted in color, are illustrated with bright, farcical pictures: "Our fridge was raided or stormed or attacked" is accompanied by a cartoon showing three disappointed critters peering into an empty refrigerator. With the slapstick art enlivening things even more, this will be a fun read-aloud, and kids will certainly get the message that words are not boring. Hazel Rochman Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved
I and You and Don't Forget Who: What Is a Pronoun by Brian P. Cleary, Brian Gable (Illustrator) School & Library Binding: 32 pages Publisher: Carolrhoda Books; (February 2004) 
ISBN: 1575055961
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal Cleary's mission is to make the serious side of language-arts classes more fun, and, to a large degree, he succeeds. Using a fast-moving, quick-witted rhyming text, he covers the different types of pronouns, giving examples of each. Whenever he is referring to a specific type of pronoun, it appears in the accompanying example in colored type to make it stand out. Comically crazy cats are drawn in a childlike style, adding to the book's giddy factor and making the subject matter appealing to students. Ruth Heller covered pronouns in Mine, All Mine: A Book of Pronouns (Puffin, 1999), but Cleary's style is definitely more active: "So like a pinch hitter/or a good baby-sitter,/the pronoun will say,/ 'You can go noun!/I've got your job covered!'" A strong purchase for school or public libraries needing to update their 400s sections.–Lisa Gangemi Kropp, Middle Country Public Library, Centereach, NY Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist From the Words Are Categorical series, which began with Cleary's A Mink, a Fink, and Skating Rink: What Is a Noun? (1999), this slim volume offers a child-friendly introduction to pronouns.... The cartoon-style ink drawings brim with irrepressible humor, while the bold use of color in the artwork adds to the high-spirited look of the pages. Colored letters make the pronouns easy to identify in text that dance across the pages. An energetic, cheerful addition to grammar lessons. Carolyn Phelan Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved
Rainbow Soup: Adventures in Poetry by Brian P. Cleary, Neal Layton (Illustrator) School & Library Binding: 32 pages Publisher: Carolrhoda Books; (April 2003) 
ISBN: 157505597X
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal –Mixing a solid introduction to poetry with amusing examples, Cleary invites readers to "Come romp with me amongst the words./Come play amongst the phrases./Swing and climb from pun to rhyme/And hop through verse mazes." He tackles difficult concepts and defines terms and forms such as meter, iambic, personification, concrete poems, and parody. His short and simple explanations are included as footnotes at the bottom of the pages and are written in a tongue-in-cheek way that will engage young readers. The accompanying selections clearly illustrate the concepts, making for a concrete reinforcement of the message without the slightest hint of didacticism. .... Brightened up with splashes of color, Layton's quirky pen-and-ink pictures add to the fun. For a more in-depth take on poetic form and function, try Ralph J. Fletcher's Poetry Matters (HarperCollins, 2002).–Laura Reed, Kitchener Public Library, Ontario, Canada Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist Scribbled, wobbly pictures on paper sprinkled with confetti dots are the perfect accompaniment to this lighthearted poetry collection. Cleary knows just what topics to put into verse: school ("Report Card," "Spanish Lessons"), food ("Ode to Peanut Butter and Jelly"), sports ("My Brother Joe"). In the mix are examples of limericks, haiku, concrete poetry, parody, alliteration, and even the villanelle, all of which Cleary explains in footnotes that also add other interesting bits about the poems. Cleary, to his credit, is not entirely tasteful, ensuring giggles and guffaws along with his information about verse form and function. GraceAnne DeCandido
Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved
Dearly, Nearly, Insincerely: What Is an Adverb? by Brian P. Cleary, Brian Gable (Illustrator), Reading level: Ages 4-8 Edition: School & Library Binding 
ISBN: 0876149247
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal Another of the author's rhyming romps through parts of speech, this book offers a nearly nonsensical look at the role of adverbs. Illustrated with colorful and daft felines and other creatures that have a suspicion of the manic energy of the Cat in the Hat, plus a befuddled walrus that is "Brilliantly burgundy, shockingly old," the text informs readers about adverbs of manner, frequency, description, place, time, and number. The words themselves are highlighted in colored print, with companion explanations: "Adverbs tell us when and how,/Like, quickly do your homework, now." The energy and sheer razzmatazz of the text and graphics will have young grammarians entranced. Pair Cleary's titles with Ruth Heller's titles, including Up, Up and Away: A Book about Adverbs (Grosset & Dunlap, 1991), for solid and engaging instruction in the basics of language. Dona Ratterree, New York City Public Schools Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Under, Over, by the Clover: What Is a Preposition? (Words Are Categorical) by Brian P. Cleary, Brian Gable (Illustrator) Publisher: Carolrhoda Books; ; (April 2002) Reading level: Ages 4-8 Edition: School & Library Binding 
ISBN: 1575055244
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly "Prepositions show us where, like in your bed, beside the chair " With snappy rhyme and comic illustrations, Under, over, by the Clover: What Is a Preposition? marks the fourth book in the Words Are Categorical series by Brian P. Cleary, illus. by Brian Gable. This summer, look for the paperback edition of their To Root, to Toot, to Parachute: What Is a Verb? Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist Brian P. Cleary has already sailed through nouns, verbs, and adjectives in such books as To Root, to Toot, to Parachute: What Is a Verb (2001). Here, in rhymed couplets, the cast of doglike animals in unlikely colors takes on prepositions: "They tell us time and also place, / Like past 9:30, in your face." Prepositions are set in bright colors in the text, just in case you missed them. The author also takes on the myth that a sentence shouldn't end with one, "But write your sentence carefully and you'll discover that / ending with a preposition is often where it's at." The teal, purple, orange, and pea-green creatures lift weights, drive trucks, dance, and even go to Timbuktu in pursuit of their chosen part of speech, and children will enjoy and learn from the ride. GraceAnne A. DeCandido Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved
From School Library Journal The fourth in a series about the parts of speech, this book explains that a preposition "connects a noun or pronoun to other words in a sentence." Gable's colorful cartoonlike creatures show prepositions in action, such as "beside the chair," "During recess after school, in between the pond and pool" and "next to Rover." The prepositions are all printed in different colors, which draws attention to them. Ruth Heller's Behind the Mask: A Book about Prepositions (Grosset & Dunlap, 1995) is another choice for students, but Cleary's snappy rhymes and clear explanations of usage are also very appealing.
Wendy S. Carroll, Montclair Cooperative School, NJ Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
To Root to Toot to Parachute: What Is a Verb? (Words Are Categorical) by Brian P. Cleary, Jenya Prosmitsky (Illustrator), (April 2001) Carolrhoda Books; 32 pages ) 
School & Library Binding ISBN: 1575054035
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 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. 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
Hairy, Scary, Ordinary : What Is an Adjective? (Words Are Categorical) by Brian P. Cleary, Jenya Prosmitsky (Illustrator), 32 pages (September 2000) Carolrhoda Books; 
School & Library Binding ISBN: 1575054019
Paperback ISBN: 1575055546
Editorial Reviews
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 reader's vocabulary. Neat, clever, commendable, and groovy. (Picture book. 7-9) -- Copyright 2000, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
From Booklist "Adjectives are words like flashy, /Vibrant, bright, and somewhat trashy." A playful, rhyming text and a colorful cast of wild cartoon cats show what adjectives are and how they work (from "cold, dark mornings" to "hot pink shades"). The sound of the words, the exaggeration, and the nonsense scenarios will appeal to kids, and, with the help of an adult, beginning readers will get the idea that adjectives "modify" nouns and help tell us more about ourselves and what's around us. --Hazel Rochman
From Horn Book Guide (January - June 2000) Silly, big-nosed cartoon cats on pastel backgrounds clown around with rhymed examples of adjectives, mixed with descriptions of what adjectives do: "They modify nouns in ways that help tell us/ If someone's sincere, delighted, or jealous." The adjectives in the text are printed in energetic, creative, and colorful fonts. Perhaps kids won't generalize from the examples, but they'll enjoy the lesson.
From School Library Journal, July, 2000 - 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). .... --Adele Greenlee, Bethel College, St. Paul, MN
A Mink, a Fink, a Skating Rink : What Is a Noun? (Words Are Categorical) by Brian P. Cleary, Jenya Prosmitsky (Illustrator) 32 pages (September 2000) Lerner Pub Group; 
School & Library Binding ISBN: 1575054027
Editorial Reviews
From Kirkus Reviews
This book appropriately abounds with persons, animals, places, and things, while rhymes drop broad hints about using nouns: ``Nouns can sometimes be quite proper like Brooklyn Bridge or Edward Hopper,'' but also ``A pocket, button, sleeve, or cuff A noun can simply be your stuff.'' Cleary leaves explanations of when and why some nouns are capitalized to the textbooks. Prosmitsky's funny illustrations of tubby cats link some disparate nouns and make them memorable, while a picaresque feline scene on a final two-page spread allows readers to pick out nouns on their own. (Picture book. 7-9) -- Copyright 1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
It Looks a Lot Like Reindeer | Jamaica Sandwich
Library Binding ISBN: 0822521148 |
You Never Sausage Love Library Binding ISBN: 0822521156 | Give Me Bach My Schubert Library Binding ISBN: 0822521164 |
Presentations
Brian P. Cleary has something for every grade level, whether it's making a noun quilt with first graders or writing sensory poems with 5th graders, He has texts specifically for kindergartners and exercises and books and contests for 6th, 7th and 8th graders.
Brian can do a large, presentation-style gathering with an overhead projector, and microphone, in which he reads from one of his books, and students volunteer answers, for instance, to what the double meanings are in pun words such as perch, china, cataloupe, etc., or what it means to go to Grandpa's farm and ride on Istanbul. This teaches kids to play with words, and they teach each other the double meanings.
A typical 5th grade workshop: In small groups, such as a typical class (18-28) we break up the group into four tables. First Brian explains what anagrams (like saint, satin, stain) are, what palindromes (like radar, racecar, did, bob) are, and a little bit about writing short verse or poetry. Each table has an assignment for the next 20 minutes and Brian drifts around and helps out, as does the teacher.
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The Professional Fees are $1250 for a day out of the greater Cleveland area, and $850 for a day locally. Check out Brian's website for more information about setting up a school visit http://www.briancleary.com
Contact
Brian P. Cleary
16505 Southland Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44111
Phone (216) 889-1799
To return to state page click HERE. 12/10/07 date last edited
