The Very Grumpy Day by Stella J Jones and Alison Edgson
| The Very Grumpy Day by Stella J Jones and Alison Edgson | |
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| Category: For Sharing | |
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Reviewer: Zoe Morris
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| Summary: Grumpiness is contagious in this story, and all the animals in turn get upset or annoyed by someone else's actions. Can anything turn this day around? | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 32 | Date: March 2015 |
| Publisher: Little Tiger Press | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-1848692039 | |
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Happiness is contagious, but did you ever consider that grumpiness might be too? If you look at Bear, it's quite plain to see. He's not having a good day, and when he takes it out on Mole, it spreads quickly through the forest, with Hedgehog and Fox and the squirrels and the owls all getting a taste. What a horrible, grumpy day for everyone.
This is a sweet book that goes full circle, with a bad mood spreading first and then, wouldn't you know it, a good mood following when the animals realise how they've upset each other and start to apologise. Of course they're all friends in the end, which is lovely, and we learn a message along the way.
Animal stories are a dime a dozen for this age group, but that doesn't mean there's no room for new ones on the market. This one has a nice story, some lovely characters, language that is age appropriate but still conveys the tale, and illustrations that are cuter than cute. It has a Winnie-the-Pooh feel to it, with a group of animals living peacefully together and no one really questioning why there's only one Bear, one Mole, one Hedgehog and so on. Biology is a lesson that can clearly wait.
This story focusses on the often unintentional impact of your actions. The animals aren't trying to upset each other, but in being grumpy and thinking only of themselves they do end up acting a little selfishly, and it hurts others in the process. The animals have other human features too, such as wearing boots, carrying umbrellas and drinking cups of tea, and the portrayal of this is wholesome and sweet.
I'd like to thank the publishers for sending us this one to flick through. As well as Winnie, readers of this age might also like Paddington At The Palace by Michael Bond and R W Alley and the bear's other adventures. We also liked Waiting for Santa by Steve Metzger and Alison Edgson.
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You can read more book reviews or buy The Very Grumpy Day by Stella J Jones and Alison Edgson at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy The Very Grumpy Day by Stella J Jones and Alison Edgson at Amazon.com.
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