Brian P. Cleary


Brian P. Cleary is an American humorist, poet, and author. He is best known for his books written for grade-school children that explore grammar in humorous ways; he also controls a line of gift books for grownups. He is the senior editor for digital content at American Greetings, and his greetings have been performed by Dolly Parton, Christina Aguilera, Smokey Robinson, William Shatner, Meghan Trainor and others.

Early life, education and career

Cleary was born in Lakewood, Ohio, one of nine children, attended elementary school in three different states and graduated from Saint Ignatius High School, a Jesuit boys-only Jesuit high school in Cleveland, Ohio. He graduated from John Carroll University with a degree in communications in 1982.
Since 1982, he has worked for American Greetings Corporation—one of the largest creative divisions in the world—where he is currently the senior editor, working on greeting cards, songs, and electronic greetings. He has toured more than 500 elementary schools in the U.S. and Europe as a visiting author making presentations to students and staff.

Writing

Cleary created the best-selling "Words are CATegorical" series for grade school readers, a 27-volume set with more than 3 million copies in print published by Lerner Publishing Group. Kirkus Reviews praised his book on Adjectives, as, "Neat, clever, commnendable, and groovy." " He has also written humor essays for national and local magazines and newspapers. His cartoon writings have been published in more than 600 newspapers worldwide. His books have sold more than 3 million copies worldwide. His poetry has been anthologized alongside Jack Prelutsky, Kenn Nesbitt, and Lemony Snicket in a collection tilted "One Minute Till Bedtime," published by Little, Brown Books, 2016.
Cleary's literary influences include Ogden Nash, Shel Silverstein, and E.E. Cummings.

Awards

"Words are CATegorical" Series

Cleary's best-selling "Words are CATegorical" series include 27 titles, published from 1999 to 2015.

"Sounds Like Reading" Series

An 8-book series written for 1st graders and "English as second language" students, published in 2009.The Bug in the Jug Wants a HugStop, Drop, and Flop in the SlopThe Nice Mice in the RiceThe Frail Snail on the TrailThe Thing on the Wing Can SingWhose Shoes Would You Choose?The Peaches on the Beaches
  • ''The Clown in the Gown Drives the Car with the Star''

"Math is CATegorical" Series

A 7-book series that introduces math concepts to 3rd graders.The Action of SubtractionThe Mission of AdditionHow Long or How Wide? A Measuring GuideOn the Scale, A Weighty TaleWindows, Rings, and Grapes: A Look at Different ShapesA Fraction's Goal: Parts of a Whole
  • ''A-B-A-B-A: A Book of Pattern Play''

Work Appearing in Poetry Anthology

  • ''One Minute Till Bedtime''

Other Lerner Book Titles

Eight Wild Nights: A Family Hanukkah Tale Peanut Butter and Jellyfishes: A Very Silly Alphabet Book "Mrs. Riley Bought Five Itchy Aardvarks" and Other Painless Tricks for Memorizing Science Facts Rainbow Soup: Adventures in PoetryThe Laugh Stand: Adventures in HumorRhyme & PUNishment: Adventures in WordplayThe Punctuation StationSix Sheep Sip Thick Shakes: And Other Tricky Tongue Twisters
  • ''The Sun Played Hide-and-Seek; A Personification Story''

Books for Adults

You Oughta Know by Now 100 Things Worse Than Divorce; A Fun Reminder That Things Aren't as Bad as They Could Be 100 Ways Your Life Could Actually be Worse; A Fun Reminder That Things Aren't as Bad as They Could Be 100 Things You Should Know by the Time You're 40; Funny, Quirky, Pithy Bits of Wit and Wisdom 100 Things You Should Know by the Time You're 50; Funny, Quirky, Pithy Bits of Wit and Wisdom 100 Things You Should Know by the Time You're 60; Funny, Quirky, Pithy Bits of Wit and Wisdom 100 Signs You Might be Irish; Observations, Wit & Wisdom About the Ways of the Irish 100 Reasons Cats Are Better Than People: Scientifically Questionable Examples of Feline Superiority Over Humans
  • ''100 Reasons to Hang in There: A LightHearted, Encouraging Look at What Makes Life Worth Living''