Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Title: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Author: Judith Viorst
Illustrator: Ray Cruz
Number of Pages: 28
Publisher: McClelland & Stewart, Ltd.
Copyright Date: 1972
Grade Level: Intermediate (4-6)
Honors/Awards: None
Type of Book: Picture Book/Multicultural

Summary:
Alexander’s day starts off badly. He has gum in his hair, he trips on his skateboard, and he drops his sweater in the sink while the water is running. Already he can tell it is going to be “a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.” His brothers get toys in their cereal, but he doesn’t. Alexander states that he wants to move to Australia. He has to sit in the middle seat in the back of the car. His teacher doesn’t like his picture of an invisible castle; he sings too loud at singing time and leaves out sixteen during counting time. Alexander’s best friend says he isn’t his best friend anymore. All his friends get dessert in their lunches, but his mom forgot his dessert. He goes to the dentist and finds out he has a cavity. When the dentist says he’ll fix it next week, Alexander says he’ll be in Australia. The elevator door closes on Alexander’s foot; his brother pushes him into the mud and then calls him a crybaby when he cries. When Alexander tries to punch his brother, his mom scolds him “for being muddy and fighting.” Nobody listens to Alexander when he says that he is having “a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.” At the shoe store Alexander has to get plain white shoes because they’re out of the shoes he wants, when they pick up his dad, he makes a mess of his office, there are lima beans for dinner and kissing on TV. His bath is too hot, soap gets in his eyes, and he looses his marble to the drain. He has to wear his least-favorite pajamas, his brother takes back a pillow he said Alexander could keep, the night light burns out, he bites his tongue, and the cat didn’t sleep with him. His mom says “some days are like that – even in Australia.”

Commentary:
This book lets children know that they are not alone: everyone has bad days sometimes. Alexander goes through a lot of bad things on his “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day” and many children will be able to relate to this. It is a multicultural book in that it pictures an African American child. Although the pictures are not in color, they are very appropriate for the book. It has a dreary theme, and is very likely to depress the reader a little after reading it. On the other hand, Alexander’s mom’s words at the end are encouraging. Some days are just like that. Even in Australia. You can’t run away from your problems, and everyone experiences days like that.

Teaching Ideas:

• Journal about a time when you had a “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.” You can make a list of all the things that happened to you and draw a picture.
• Draw a picture of what you think Alexander’s “invisible castle” would have looked like if it wasn’t invisible.
• Research Australia
• Learn about cavities, have a dentist visit the classroom
• Make a list of all the bad things that happened to Alexander. Then, on the other side of the paper or the board, write how he could have made those bad things turn out better. Discuss how we can influence whether we have a good day or a bad day

Related Books:
Books by Judith Viorst:
I’ll Fix Anthony
Alexander, Who’s Not (Do you hear me? I mean it!) Going to Move
Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday
Earrings!
Other similar picture books:
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Fortunately by Remy Charlip