Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Title: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Author: Judith Viorst

Publisher: Atheneum

Date: 1972

Number of pages: 32 pages

Reading level: Ages 4-8

Genre: Children's Picture Book

Summary:  From the moment Alexander wakes up with gum in his hair,Alexander realizes that nothign will go his way today. When Alexander gets out of bed, he trips on the skateboard and drops his sweater into the sink while the water was running. At breakfast, Alexander's brothers, reach into their cereal boxes and find amazing prizes while Alexander ends up with just cereal. These are a few of the examples that set Alexander up for his day. Feeling down, Alex set's on his way to school, where he does not get the luxury of enjoying the window seat in the carpool. At school his teacher doesn't like his picture of the invisible castle and lectures him. His friend, deserts him to his third best friend and there is no dessert in his lunch.

He realizes he has a dentist appointment, and there he finds out he has a cavity.

All in all, Alexander endures many obstacles and trials throughout his day, like the elevator door closing on his foot, his brother pushes him in the mud, and calls him a crybaby for crying. He makes a messa d dad's office, and his father asks him not to come and pick him up from work anymore.

At bedtime, his nightlight burns out, he bites his tongue. No wonder Alexander wants to move to Australia. The book ends with Mom's reassuring Alexander that everybody has bad days, even people who live in Australia.

My reaction: I read the book and tossed it in the trash. There was no good message, no encouragement. I can't imagine what the writer was thinking. Absolute garbage. DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY. It's discouraging and has no positive message to leave with children.

Potential problems: No positivity or climax to the story. Very depressing for readers.

My recommendation: Don't waste your time, you'll end the book feeling worse then you did before. Growing up I never read this story, and when I asked my sister what I should read for my Children's Lit class, she suggested this warning it was controversial. I can no see why. I don't feel like children should be subjected to such negativity, especially in this day and age.