Absolutely, Positively Alexander

I grew up just loving Alexander in Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day. My mother read it to us a children (ok, so now you know I'm not too old!) and I was just thrilled to see such a good copy of not only it but the other Alexander stories as well. The library binding is very nice and this book will definitely be a keepsake for my children someday. If you like to have books to pass on, this one's for you!

Judith Viorst, well known adult author and the mother of sons, uses real life frustrations for this humorous (because its so true) story line, featuring Alexander, the youngest brother in a a family with three boys. The first book is the best - Alexander has the worst days ever in "Alexander and the Horrible No Good Very Bad Day" (the best of the stories). In "Alexander Who Used to Be Rich," he fantasizes about all you do with a dollar, while in the third book, he resists (as most kids do) the family's need to move far away. My own sons have enjoyed these books - starting in 1972 and into the present. The stories are not dated, as any parent of a child like Alexander can tell you - every untied shoelace is a major tragedy, a move around the corner can be traumatic and 'unfair,' and a dollar can buy you just about anything when you're in that wonderful 4 to 8 year old time of life.Parents reading the book will see the humor. Children hearing the words will feel as though they are being understood.As kids grow up (8 to 9 is about the end of the line for this series) they'll begin to see the humor in Alexander's thoughts.Well written, with illustrations that are well above average, these books are a wonderful addition to any family library. And as long as you are going to get one, you may as well get all three and save yourself time and money!

My wife and I secured "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" at a book fair at school. Our two boys loved listening to it. We read it often enough that we only had to pause for a moment to have the boys (in unison) insert the title phrase. We then obtained the other two titles contained in this book. We read them so much, we wore out the paperback bindings, so I bought the hard cover collection. The narratives, written in first persion tense, would also make excellent speaking parts for those school talent shows. The stories are simple, yet entertaining. Having two boys, I see a little of Alexander in each of them.

When I discovered Judith Viorst's Alexander books I thought she must have been peeking into our home! How comforting to know that other families had Alexanders (my son, Alex is now 15)! And, I must confess, there's a bit of Alexander in me, too! It's great to be able to laugh at ourselves. Thanks, Judith Viorst and your terrific illustrators.

Though I'm twenty now, I still appreciated Viorst's view of the world through Alexander. When I was younger, I wanted to be him. But now, with a few years, I see that Alexander is more a lesson than a model. These stories are great for kids under age five, and I promise they'll remember them for a great while...even to the point where they walk into the young readers section at age eighteen looking for a copy.