Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day |  | Author: Judith Viorst
Creator: Ray Cruz
Brand: INGRAM BOOK & DISTRIBUTOR
List Price: $7.99
Buy Used: $1.57
as of 11/23/2009 01:05 CST details
You Save: $6.42 (80%)
New (54) Used (40) from $1.57
Seller: trinity-city-books
Rating:  210 reviews
Sales Rank: 324
Media: Paperback
Reading Level: Ages 4-8
Pages: 32
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 9.5 x 7.3 x 0.2
MPN: ING0689711735
ISBN: 0689711735
EAN: 9780689711732
ASIN: 0689711735
Publication Date: July 15, 1987
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com Review
"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)
Product Description
Judith Viorst. Poor Alexander! He woke up with gum in his hair; his mom forgot to put dessert in his lunch bag; there were lima beans for dinner, and kissing on TV even the cat refuses to sleep in his bed. Some days are just like that. Alexander's awful day is the perfect lead-off for this collection of funny, touching stories about the ups and downs of childhood from imaginary monsters to saying goodbye to a family pet. Judith Viorst's insightful and humorous stories are the perfect antidote to any child's "terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day."
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 210
 Maybe it's a kid thing November 22, 2009
Sonya (Dallas, TX)
After reading the synopsis of the story, I expected that Alexander was going to have some bad events in his day, but I expected something to counteract the horrible day.
I thought it was a downer book. I mean, poor Alexander had nothing that went right during his entire day. I was considering buying it for my nephew, but after reading it I thought, how depressing. I later saw my 9 y/o nephew and he saw the book and said he had already read it. I told him to tell me about it. He remembered the repeated phrase (the book title), he remembered the gum in the hair, getting his shirt wet and his foot getting smashed. I remembered the friend not wanting to be his best friend anymore, the cat not wanting to sleep with him and his slipping in the mud and being called a cry baby.
It would have been nice if there had been something other than a perfunctory acknowledgment of the terrible day. The only comment at the end is that "My Mom says some days are like that." I guess it's realistic, but putting a funny or positive spin on some of the events would have been great for showing how to deal with those terrible days. I mean this book is for kids...they'll get realism enough as they grow up.
I can honestly say, I've never had such a pileup of terrible things happen in just one day and if I did - as an adult, I know how to deal with it. Maybe, the book had such terrible things happen that if a child only had a few bad things, he could compare it to this book and say his day wasn't nearly as bad as Alexander's.
 A Classical Book about a Very Real Little Boy November 11, 2009
Carolyn Triano (South Lake Tahoe, CA)
Alexander must be read for generations to come. He has been a constant companion throughout the years as I teach High School Special Education English classes. Sometimes when my students cannot express how they are feeling, they will know to say, "It is an Alexander day." I know then that they are having a rough time and we joke about Alexander and all bad days must come to an end. There is always a new day waiting around the corner. Highly recommended for teachers, parents, and anyone who wants a smile. The illustrations are priceless.
great book !! November 7, 2009
David, Sabrina, Jakob, Jonah, Josh Kinsbourne (San Francisco, CA)
This is a really great book! My 4 and 6 yr old boys just love it and we read it over and over again!
 Inappropriate Word! October 31, 2009
Diane L. (Manlius, NY USA)
0 out of 3 found this review helpful
I loved the title of this book and the main character looked alot like my grandson whom I had wanted to give this book to. I was also impressed by the high rating given to it by other customers. The book is actually a very nice read and we can all relate to having a no good, very bad day. But the author uses the word "hate" in this book which I don't like to hear and I'm sure my daughter-in-law would not be pleased as well. The word is not used in a mean-spirited way, but the author could have used another word to convey this kind of message. And as another reviewer said, there is no lesson taught at the end of this book. I was going to return it, but decided against it as it would cost me more to do that than to just keep it and donate it to my public library. I wish I had payed more attention to the 2 and 3 star reviews. Read and learn.
spirited child must have! October 18, 2009
C. J. Venable (louisiana)
Bought this book for our spirited child who very often has no good very bad days. It has become a source of comfort for him to know hes no the only one who has such days.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 210
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