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"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 Day is 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 the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly
Objecting loudly to his family's plans to relocate, the hero of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day "makes a gratifying return," said PW. Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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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. Read the first page New!
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143 Reviews 5 star:  (120) 4 star:  (7) 3 star:  (4) 2 star:  (2) 1 star:  (10)           Average Customer Review (143 customer reviews)		New! Amazon has customer video reviews     It's easy to shoot video reviews or life's everyday moments with the Flip Video camcorder.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   35 of 38 people found the following review helpful: People of all ages can relate!, May 11, 2005 By  Jessica Lux-Baumann "LaGizma" (Rosamond, CA) - See all my reviews       I first had this book read to me as a child, and it stuck with me throughout life. I would always remember that anyone can have a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day (even in Australia). In fact, sometimes I still tell people that I am having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day, and it someone flickers with recognition, then all is well in the world! Contrary to what some reviewers say, this is not a depressing book. It's one to keep on the shelf and re-read any day things aren't going right. It has a wonderful message and is beautifully illustrated. This is a timeless classic. Adults and children will enjoy the experience.   29 of 35 people found the following review helpful: Even five-year-olds get the blues, August 23, 2002 By  JLind555 - See all my reviews This review is from: Alexander And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (Hardcover) Ever have a day when absolutely nothing went right? Haven't we all? That's probably why so many children fall in love with this book; we've all been there, even the very young ones, so they can relate just like we grownups can. From the first mishap in the early morning when he wakes up with last night's chewed gum stuck in his hair, to the final indignity of being rejected by the cat (who wants to sleep with his brother Anthony, not with him), with umpteen mishaps and misfortunes in between (lima beans for supper? Yuck. Kissing on TV? Double-yuck!), Alexander's day just gets worse and worse. If you had a day like that, wouldn't you want to hop the first jet to Australia? Judith Viorst has an uncanny knack for being able to put herself in a five-year-old's shoes, and her book lets kids know that their feelings are valid and normal. And at the book's end, Alexander -- and the youngsters -- realize that days like that are bound to happen, even in Australia. This is a great read-aloud book; the kids usually end up chanting (or shouting) along with the reader "It was a TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY!!" and Ray Cruz's pen and ink drawings are a delight and add to the fun. I've read this book to several first-graders and each one of them clamored for a repeat. This is one book that belongs on every child's bookshelf and will probably be treasured for years to come.   8 of 10 people found the following review helpful: We've all been there, and now we can laugh about it, August 7, 2004 By  A. Ryan "Merribelle" (Westminster, CA USA) - See all my reviews       I remember this one from my own childhood, and I recall even then commiserating with Alexander as he has to deal with one of those days in which everything seems to go wrong. Waking up with gum in his hair, dropping his sweater in the sink and eating dry breakfast cereal sets the tone for the rest of the story; weirdly enough, it's not negative energy that gets built up, but humor. Who can't relate, I ask you? I thought that a big part of this story's charm was the run on sentences that narrated in Alexander's first person voice. Example: "On the way downstairs the elevator door closed on my foot and while we were waiting for my mom to go get the car Anthony made me fall where it was muddy and then I started crying because of the mud and Nick said I was a crybaby and...". It's great because that's how kids his age really speak when they are bursting with information and emotion at the same time. I think it is a sign of an incredibly stuffy mindset to pick apart such a well-loved, time-tested winner of a book because it "teaches kids poor grammar". Phooey. What it really teaches is that we all have "those" days, and that we can get over them as Alexander did. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day will appeal to kids of all ages, especially boys. Better yet, it will crack a smile or two out of the reading adult. -Andrea, aka Merribelle Share your thoughts with other customers:  › See all 143 customer reviews...		Most Recent Customer Reviews Sarah and the Absolutely Awful, Messed up, Hideous, Pits of a Bad Day So sure, as of this writing 142 people have plenty to say about this book. But are they a teacher? Read more Published 5 days ago by Sarah M. Puglisi Timeless! This was one of my son's favorites as a little boy ~~ but I bought this for my grandson!! Little boys never change!! :o) Read more Published 6 days ago by B. Calhoun Great books My sons, my husband, and I all loved this book. We still use the tag line (30 years later) as a way to say "my day was the pits, so don't even ask. Read more Published 12 days ago by Mary Sharon a must have Great books for boys or girls. And for a bed time even better, when parents (who had a bad day themselves) have to read it. I love it. Read more Published 20 days ago by Zorana Vukmirovic Teaching Attitude Great little book that I use to tutor children to read - and at the same time teach about attitudes. They love it! Read more Published 1 month ago by S. Conley HAVEN'T WE ALL BEEN THERE Young, old or somewhere in the middle - we've all experienced a day like this. Heck, some of us have found a week or a month of having a "terrible, horrible, no good, very bad... Read more Published 1 month ago by Dragenflie Still a favorite as an adult i remember my teacher reading this book aloud to my class. I adored it then, and still do. sometimes I consider moving to Australia! Read more Published 1 month ago by dr. mama Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day This is by far the best of the two Alexander books. It's funny and lets kids know everyone has bad days. I read this to my grand son for years, until he could read it to me. Read more Published 1 month ago by J. Monroe Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Book arrived quickly and was packed well and in great condition. It is a great book to use for teaching "colorful" words. Read more Published 3 months ago by Lori H. Breaux A classic for all ages I've loved this book since I was a tiny young thing--it is a great children's book, and gives some humor for anyone who's ever had a bad day. Read more Published 3 months ago by persephone Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews ›  See all 143 customer reviews...

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