Straight and Curvy, Meek and Nervy: More About Antonyms (Words Are Categorical)

by Brian P. Cleary illustrated by Brian Gable

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.

Ages 7-9

Reinforced binding

In memory of Hallie Nanda, mother of Sanjay and Kavita. With gratitude for her support of education. —B.P.C.

Antonym: ns at mea h t d r o w A ite of the oppos rd o another w

by Brian P. Cleary illustrations by Brian Gable J Millbrook Press / Minneapolis

a r e s w m ords th a y n o t t An posite in

p o e t i u q e r a

4

meanin g

like sleep and wake

,

e v i or g — e k a t nd

a

like messing is to cleaning.

5

Cheer and jeer are

 

antonyms,

like straight and extra cu r v y,

6

and dry t e w , and sell a n

, uy

db

as well as meek and nervy.

7

rop and hold are also D ey speak antonyms because th

of opposites,

like stand

and sit

8

or str ong

. k a e and somewh at w

9

If antonyms did not exist, we wouldn’ t have the words

10

 

t

os ay, “ I ’d lik e th e quiet— not the noisy— types of birds.”  11

wh

12

Or “ Mr s. Scott pr efer s

en w e

” . y l l i s t

ar e ser ious, no

Or “The road

i sn’ t

in S

a n Francisco

t u , b fl at

h t ra

.” y l l i h er

13

To certain words, just add an or or

or

and you’ll create an antonym— let’s try h t i w it now

! 15

As in a w

ord l ike

16

m y n o t n a n a es

e ac h w ord becom ed! h c a t t a x i f e r w it h t h is p

17

Sometimes putting

or or often

18

before a word will make an antonym—

e b e sh all w

? n gi 19

Antisocial, antilock, and even antifreeze.

20

Irregular,

illogical,

and inequalitie s. 21

t u O

22

n t o a n e y r m a s n i d n a

an

re a o s d

neat an

d me

ssy,

sh allow,

deep,

p,

a nd lose and kee

informal and quite dressy.

23

They point out major differences,

24

like

rainy ver sus sunny,

h ealthy, , h s l u ggis

sick

,

quick,

or grim and kind of funny.

25

r e antony a n

an dt

hi

irt y,

P l u mp

s s e l t o p s e k

li 26

d o is t

m s,

real to fake,

and make to break,

. y t i r l f o t s i l u f h l i ke b as 27

They offer rich contrasting words that help us to distinguish

day from night

28

w rong f d n a r om r i t— gh

and brighten up our English!

29

So, what is an antonym?

30

Do you know?

About the Author & Illustrator Brian P. Cleary is the author of the best-selling Words Are CATegorical® series, the Math Is CATegorical® series, the Adventures in MemoryTM series, and the Sounds Like ReadingTM series. He is also the author of The Laugh Stand: Adventures in Humor, Peanut Butter and Jellyfishes: A Very Silly Alphabet Book, and two poetry books. Mr. Cleary lives in Cleveland, Ohio. BRIAN GABLE is the illustrator of several Words Are Categorical® books, as well as the Math Is Categorical® series. Mr. Gable also works as a political cartoonist for the Globe and Mail newspaper in Toronto, Canada, where he lives with his children. Text copyright © 2009 by Brian P. Cleary Illustrations copyright © 2009 by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the prior written permission of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc., except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review. Millbrook Press A division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. 241 First Avenue North Minneapolis, MN 55401 U.S.A. Website address: www.lernerbooks.com Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Cleary, Brian P., 1959–  Straight and curvy, meek and nervy : more about antonyms / by Brian P. Cleary : illustrated by Brian Gable. p. cm. —  (Words are CATegorical) ISBN 978–0–8225–7878–9 (lib. bdg. : alk. paper)  1. English language—Synonyms and antonyms—Juvenile literature. 2. Vocabulary—Juvenile literature. I. Gable, Brian, 1949– II. Title. PE1591.C54 2009 428.1—dc22 2007052117 Manufactured in the United States of America 1 2 3 4 5 6 – JR – 14 13 12 11 10 09

eISBN-13: 978-0-7613-5204-4

Brian P. Cleary is the author of the

best-selling Words Are CATegorical® series and the Math Is CATegorical®, Adventures in Memory™, and Sounds like Reading™series. He has also written The Laugh Stand: Adventures in Humor, Peanut Butter and Jellyfishes: A Very Silly Alphabet Book, and two poetry books. Mr. Cleary lives in Cleveland, Ohio.

Brian Gable is the illustrator of several

Words Are CATegorical® books, as well as the Math Is CATegorical® series. Mr. Gable also works as a political cartoonist for the Globe and Mail newspaper in Toronto, Canada, where he lives with his children.

Jacket illustrations by Brian Gable

A

j Millbrook Press DIVISION OF

LERNER PUBLISHING GROUP

241 First Avenue North • Minneapolis, MN 55401 www.lernerbooks.com Printed and bound in U.S.A.

WDearly, ords Are CATegorical® books Nearly, Insincerely: What Is an Adverb?

Hairy, Scary, Ordinary: What Is an Adjective? How Much Can a Bare Bear Bear?: What Are Homonyms and Homophones? I and You and Don’t Forget Who: What Is a Pronoun? Lazily, Crazily, Just a Bit Nasally: More about Adverbs A Lime, A Mime, a Pool of Slime: More about Nouns A Mink, A Fink, a Skating Rink: What Is a Noun? Pitch and Throw, Grasp and Know: What Is a Synonym? Quirky, Jerky, Extra Perky: More about Adjectives Slide and Slurp, Scratch and Burp: More about Verbs Stop and Go, Yes and No: What Is an Antonym? Straight and Curvy, Meek and Nervy: More about Antonyms Stroll and Walk, Babble and Talk: More about Synonyms To Root, to Toot, to Parachute: What Is a Verb? Under, Over, By the Clover: What Is a Preposition?

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