Author: Viorst, Judith
Illustrator: Cruz, Ray
Publication Year: 1977
Publisher: JTG of Nashville
"Of all the books out there that deal with schadenfreude, none do it quite so well as Alexander... He’s the Charlie Brown of picture books." -- Elizabeth Bird, Library School Journal
Children and adults love this story as it does not offer a cartoon-bright version of reality, but a humrous and believable look at what it feels like to suffer a really bad day. This book is centered in realism; Alexander seems real, his problems seem real, and Cruz's illustrations further enhance the readers' ability to empathize with just having a bad day.
Parents and teachers can use this book to help children explore how to deal their with their emotions when bad things happen, and how to see the good things within the bigger picture of life. One extension activity that can be done after reading this book is that children can write, draw, or tell about their own terrible, horrible, no good very bad day. They should start in the morning when they woke up, and continue to write, draw, or tell about the terrible happenings until the time that they finally went to bed ("Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Extension Activities" 2013). Another activity children can do is to act out the story as a play - plenty of laughs will be had as the children recount all the terrible things that happened that day. This book can work as a discussion for older children as well, perhaps by pairing the book with a contrasting quote such as "seize the day." If Alexander's "terrible, horrible, no good very bad day" was the choice words he chose to set his course of day, perhaps students can come up with other words that Alexander could have chosen to change his perspective in order for him to have a better day.
In this 35 year old classic, Judith Viorst spins a tale about Alexander, a good natured kid who seems to be trying his best but his luck is just cannot cut it out for him on a day he deems as the "terrible, horiible, no good, very bad day." Alex's day begins with him waking up only to discover he has gum in his hair and as soon as he gets out of his bed he trips over his skateboard. Throughout the day, bad things just keep happening to him, he drops his sweater in the sink and it gets all wet, he winds up with a lousy cereal prize, and he has to sit in the middle passenger seat on the way to school. Once at school his teachers disapproves of his drawings, his singing, and counting. He has trouble with his friend, doesn't get a dessert at lunch, gets muddy, and called a crybaby, and yet even as a victim of all such circumstances, is punished. His day simply just won't seem to get better! The shifting settings of the story from messy bedroom to the breakfast table with siblings and the school cafeteria, are all places universally familiar among most school-age kids. These are the settings where many school-age kids find the rigors and challenges of childhood. Children can all relate to a bad day and understand the frustration of what it feels like when life is not fair, yet even with
Alexander's deplorable day, readers can also see that perhaps his life is not so bad after all. Through it all readers can still point out what Alexander does have, a functional and supportive family, a good school, he has a warm bed, etc. Perhaps the teachable moment for Alexander is perspective. If Alexander had a different, more positive perspective, the day may have not been so terrible, but as soon as Alex wakes up he states that he could "tell that this was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, bad day."
The illustrator, Ray Cruz, offers a visual display that is both humorous and revealing. Ray Cruz's pen and ink illustrations of Alexander very humanly depict the the snares and entanglement of what it feels like to be a frustrated kid who is with sloppy with gum-stuck hair, frumpy posture, guarded crossed arm posturing, and smug with a tortured look on his face. This is not a story for silly cartoon characters - Cruz offers slipshod pen and ink crosshatch to match the haphazard of Alexander's day, as well as his attitude.
Alexander's deplorable day, readers can also see that perhaps his life is not so bad after all. Through it all readers can still point out what Alexander does have, a functional and supportive family, a good school, he has a warm bed, etc. Perhaps the teachable moment for Alexander is perspective. If Alexander had a different, more positive perspective, the day may have not been so terrible, but as soon as Alex wakes up he states that he could "tell that this was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, bad day."
The illustrator, Ray Cruz, offers a visual display that is both humorous and revealing. Ray Cruz's pen and ink illustrations of Alexander very humanly depict the the snares and entanglement of what it feels like to be a frustrated kid who is with sloppy with gum-stuck hair, frumpy posture, guarded crossed arm posturing, and smug with a tortured look on his face. This is not a story for silly cartoon characters - Cruz offers slipshod pen and ink crosshatch to match the haphazard of Alexander's day, as well as his attitude.
Children and adults love this story as it does not offer a cartoon-bright version of reality, but a humrous and believable look at what it feels like to suffer a really bad day. This book is centered in realism; Alexander seems real, his problems seem real, and Cruz's illustrations further enhance the readers' ability to empathize with just having a bad day.
Parents and teachers can use this book to help children explore how to deal their with their emotions when bad things happen, and how to see the good things within the bigger picture of life. One extension activity that can be done after reading this book is that children can write, draw, or tell about their own terrible, horrible, no good very bad day. They should start in the morning when they woke up, and continue to write, draw, or tell about the terrible happenings until the time that they finally went to bed ("Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Extension Activities" 2013). Another activity children can do is to act out the story as a play - plenty of laughs will be had as the children recount all the terrible things that happened that day. This book can work as a discussion for older children as well, perhaps by pairing the book with a contrasting quote such as "seize the day." If Alexander's "terrible, horrible, no good very bad day" was the choice words he chose to set his course of day, perhaps students can come up with other words that Alexander could have chosen to change his perspective in order for him to have a better day.
References:
Bird, Elizabeth. Library School Journal, "Top 100 Picture Books." Last modified June 18, 2012. Accessed September 9, 2013. http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2012/06/18/top-100-picture-books-8-alexander-and-the-terrible-horrible-no-good-very-bad-day-by-judith-viorst-illustrated-by-ray-cruz/.
Scholastic, "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Extension Activities." Last modified 2013. Accessed September 9, 2013. http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/alexander-and-terrible-horrible-no-good-very-bad-day-extension-activities.
Viorst, Judith. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Ill. by Ray Cruz. Nashville: JTG, 1995. ISBN-10: 0689711735
Cover Source:
http://www.abaenglish.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/alexander-and-the-terrible-horrible-no-good-very-bad-day-book-cover-600x455.jpg
Illustration Source:
http://ranthecircus.wordpress.com/2013/04/29/alexander-and-the-terrible-horrible-no-good-very-bad-day/
Illustration Source:
http://ranthecircus.wordpress.com/2013/04/29/alexander-and-the-terrible-horrible-no-good-very-bad-day/
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