Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
"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.Judith Viorst flawlessly and humorously captures a child's testy  temperament, rendering Alexander sympathetic rather than whiny.  Our hero's gum-styled hair and peevish countenance are artfully  depicted by Ray Cruz's illustrations. An ALA Notable Book,Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Dayis a great antidote to bad days everywhere, sure to put a smile on  even the crabbiest of faces.(Ages 5 to 9)--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.