Sometimes I Grumblesquinch
Description
A sweet and touching exploration of the scariness of BIG feelings and overcoming the pressures to do everything "just right," in this companion title to bestselling picture book Sometimes I'm Bombaloo.Katie Honors is a really nice kid. But there's one little secret that sometimes makes her feel not-so-nice deep inside: her little brother, Chuck. Katie loves her brother and works hard to be the perfect big sister but it can be hard. Chuck can sometimes be just so icky and messy. Sometimes it makes Katie secretly wish she had a trampoline or a treehouse or a giraffe instead of a brother. When all these emotions bubble up to the surface, Katie can no longer grumblesquinch them down. She explodes, but she also learns an important lesson: that there's room for ALL of her feelings, even the scary ones.
Sometimes I Grumblesquinch masterfully explores the pressure children often feel to be perfect all the time and helps them realize that it's okay to share frustrating, and at times, not-so-nice thoughts and seek comfort from adults to help them manage those feelings. This story explores key social emotional skills that kids need to navigate complicated feelings, and will live alongside bestsellers like When Sophie Gets Really Really Angry and How Do Dinosaurs Say I'm Mad. Once again, Rachel Vail taps into universal childhood experiences that are often left unexplored, and does so with sensitivity, humor, and respect for the wide range of emotions kids face today.
Product Details
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About the Author
Rachel Vail is the award-winning author of more than 40 beloved books. Her picture books include Sometimes I'm Bombaloo and Sometimes I Kaploom, a Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of the Year. Her most recent novels for young people are Bad Best Friend; Well, That Was Awkward; and the A is For Elizabeth series, all Junior Library Guild Gold selections. Rachel lives in New York City with her husband, their two sons, and a tortoise named Lightning. Visit rachelvail.com.
Hyewon Yum is the author and illustrator of many acclaimed picture books, including Sometimes I Kaploom, a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year, and Mom, It's My First Day of Kindergarten!, which received the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator award. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. Visit Hyewon online at hyewonyum.com.
Reviews
Praise for Sometimes I Grumblesquinch:
A 2023 Bank Street Best Children's Books of the Year!
A 2022 Kirkus Best of Picture Book of the Year!
Selected by the Chicago Public Library as one of 2022's Best Picture Books!
* "Sensitive and emotionally true, a comforting portrayal of big emotions." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review
* "This tender, insightful exploration of childhood emotion and respectful parenting is an important purchase for all collections." -- School Library Journal, starred review
Praise for Sometimes I'm Bombaloo:
"Emotions bubble over in this wise picture book about how a child deals with anger. Katie Honors is a self-described "really good kid," generally obedient, kind and conscientious. Heo's (Father's Rubber Shoes) highly patterned rnixed-media illustrations, alternately warm and perky, use vibrant backgrounds, blocks of color and carefully chosen images to depict Katie's emotional tornado. Memorable scenes include Katie seated against a stark black background during her time-out, and an up-close view of her in the throes of a Bombaloo moment." -- Publishers Weekly
* "A keen-eyed view on the evolution and eruption of a child's tantrum and its aftermath. Heo's...intensely colorful, gloriously outlandish illustrations are a perfect match for Vail's text. Changes in perspective, spot images strewn over the pages, and slashes of energy emanating from fists and face mirror Katie's turbulent emotions while their over-the-top quality diffuses some of the tension aroused by the tale. An honest and understanding appraisal of tantrums from the child's perspective." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review
* "Vail gets right inside a kid's psyche, and Heo's inventive artwork catches the kaleidoscope of emotions found there in a book that is both realistic and funny. Kudos to Vail and Heo for making a scary subject manageable." -- Booklist, starred review
"Anger is the subject of this wonderfully illustrated and beautifully designed picture book. The subject and age of the character in this title bear a very close resemblance to those in Molly Bang's When Sophie Gets Angry-Really, Really Angry (Scholastic, 1999), yet they are different enough in voice and mode of resolution that most collections will want both." -- School Library Journal
