What Are You So Grumpy About - Tom Lichtenheld

Tom Lichtenheld delights readers of all ages in this humorous and colorful book. Children will love and relate to the grumpiness that peas touching gravy and getting underwear for your birthday create. The makers of What Are You So Grumpy About? turn everyday irritating situations into amusing scenes, like Dad taking his underwhelmed son to “the most boring museum in the universe,” (the history of dirt) or a child stubbing her toe on a curb that appears to have a smiley face. The hilarious drawings compound the humor, like a newspaper clipping that reads “Boy Lost in Grandma’s Hug” with a picture of a puzzled, oversized woman and a sign that reads “Last Seen Here” pointing toward her chest. Every scene from the chore list to the cereal boxes contains enough playful details to make even the smallest grump smile.

My children and I have the book memorized, which comes in handy when we’re away from home. At the slightest glimpse of a pouty lip, all I have to do is quote a page from the book and the grump is history.