Thursday, July 15, 2010

Book Review - Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day


Author: Judith Viorst
Publisher: Scholastic
Originally Released: 1972
Source: Peronal Copy
Rating: 5 Stars

From Amazon.com:
"I went to sleep with gum in my mouth and now there's gum in my hair and when I got out of bed this morning I tripped on the skateboard and by mistake I dropped my sweater in the sink while the water was running and I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day."

So begin the trials and tribulations of the irascible Alexander, who has been earning the sympathy of readers since 1972. People of all ages have terrible, horrible days, and Alexander offers us the cranky commiseration we crave as well as a reminder that things may not be all that bad. As Alexander's day progresses, he faces a barrage of bummers worthy of a country- western song: getting smushed in the middle seat of the car, a dessertless lunch sack, a cavity at the dentist's office, stripeless sneakers, witnessing kissing on television, and being forced to sleep in railroad-train pajamas. He resolves several times to move to Australia.
I'm sure everyone has their favorite childhood books. Those ones that we can vividly remember having read to us. Books that were read over and over until we could "read" them without even looking at the words on the page.
If I had to pick one book from my childhood that fit this description it would be "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" by Judith Viorst.
This is a timeless book. A gem that I will always treasure reading. I can read this book over and over and never get tired of it. I wish I could say that about some of the books my kids ask me to read!
Once in a while we all have terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days. Those days when we wake up on the wrong side of the bed and things just don't go our way. This book is the perfect reminder that some days are just like that, even in Australia.
Is there a book you treasure from your childhood? Have you shared it with your kids, students, or nieces and nephews?

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I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves. ~ Anna Quindlen

Good children's literature appeals not only to
the child in the adult, but to the adult in the child.
~ Anonymous ~