to root to toot to parachute

T
o
R
oo
t
,
t
o
T
oo
t
,
tt
o
P
arac
h
u
t
e
To Mary Kate, Jack, and Colin–

three “action” kids
—B.P.C.
To my sister, Margarita
—J.P.

Verb:
A word
that shows

action or being.
T
o
R
oo
t
,
t
o
T
oo
t
,
tt
o
P
arac
h
u
t
e
by Br
ian P. Cleary
illustrated by Jenya Prosmitsky
t
CAROLRHODA BOOKS, INC. / MINNEAPOLIS
Wh
ether
you scale
a wall

or a fish,
Make
a design
on a
cup or a dish,
Ta
ke
out the
garbage,
or
sharp
knife—
en your
e
r
b
s
a
r
e
a

p
a
r
t
V
r

e

v

e

r
y
d
a
y
l
i
f
e
o
f
y
o

u
.
To
root,
to
toot,
to
parachute,
To
play the
flutophone or

flute,
To
dare,
defend,
descend,
disturb—
I
f
i
t
’
s
a
n
a
c

t

i

o

e
s
a
v

n

,
r
b
!
i
t
’

s
e
o
r

d

s

l
k

i

i
n
g
V
e
r
b
s

a
r
e
w
a
n
d
d
a
n
c
e
,
Pray or practice,
p
r
e
a
c
h
or prance,
T
o
s
s
a
n
d
t
u

m
l
b
e
j
u
m
p
,

j
a
m
a
n
d
,
w
h
i
s
p
e
r
,
W
h
i
n
e

a
n
d
s
l
e
e
p
s
l
a
n

d
a
m
.
so are
holler, help,
and
hold,
Wh
ack and stack and pack
and fold,
Fix
and
finish
,
a
n

d
l
i
f
t
,
l
o
a
d
Hurry, scurry,
shake, and sift.
So
take a
present,
send your
thanks,
Pu
ll a tooth,
or
pull some pranks,
Blow
a bubble,
sew
a
sleeve,
a
v

e

r

b
f
o
r
e
a
c
h
o
f
t
h
e
s
e
.
l
l
u
s

e
Y
o
u
’

A
v
e
r
b

c

a
n
a
k
e
a
f
o
r
m
“

t
b
o
f
e
,

”

Li k e y o u are tall,

o
r
I
a
m
f
r
e
e
,

That is fun,
It’s
been
great,
W
e
r
e
y
o
u
t
h
e
o
n
e
h

w

o
w
a
s
s
o
l
a
t

e
?
Punt or pass or shoot or
score,
S
w
i
m
o
r
p
a
d
d
l
e
,
pitch

or
pour,
Jo
g
or
juggle,
j
i
g
o
r
l
e
a
p
,
Verbs can tire
you out a heap.
Yo
u c an crawl or fall
or pet
your pooch,
S
e
e
a

b

a

l
l
g
a
m
e
,
b
e
a
m
o
o
c

h
,
n

m
p
a

d
s
l
u
m
p
J

u
an
d
play it cool,
Hunt
and hike
a
n
d
b
i
k
e
t
o
s
c
h
o
o

.

l
,

S
o
p
i

c
k
a
n
d
f
i
d
d
t
r
u
m
l
e
s
s
r
o
k
e
,
a
n
d
t
T
e
a
s

e
a
n
d
t
e
e
t
e
r
,
s
o
a
k
b
a
n
d

,
s
o
e
e
p
y
o
u

r
s
i
d
e
w
a
l
k
,
w
S
c
u
r
b
,
p
a
i
n
t
y
o
u
r
w
a
c
A

n
d
k
n
o
h
a
c
t
i
o
n
e

s
a
v
e
r
b
!
i
o
n
g
h

e

r

e

t
o
o
,
l
v
e
a
n
d
h
a
s
b
e
H
a
Like
“I
have
green eyes,
She
has
blue.”
Or “ Min d y has a
m ini m u t t.”
T

h
e
s
e
v
e
r
b
s
c
a
n

w
h
o
’
s
e

t

l
l
u
s

g
o
t

w
h
a
t
!
s

b
s
t
e
l
l
o
f
s
h
i
p
n
g
,
i
s
i
V
r
u
e
r

c
s
l
i
m
e
o
o
z
i
n
g
,
s
n
d
o
g
s
n
g
,
i
o
o
z
The
y t ell
of spie s
spying,

g
u
y
s
t
r
y
l
n

n
g
a

o
s
i
i
d
n
g
,