Grumpy Monkey

by Suzanne Lang, Max Lang (Illustrator)

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

Suzanne Lang introduces us to the no-monkeying-around character of Jim Panzee in the beloved first book, Grumpy Monkey. Not only will children delight in reading this fun and silly book, but they will also learn about understanding and processing their emotions.

The hilarious #1 New York Times bestselling picture book about a chimpanzee in a very bad mood—perfect for young children learning how to deal with confusing feelings.

Jim the chimpanzee is in a terrible mood for no good reason. His friends can't understand it—how can he be in a bad mood when it's SUCH a beautiful day? They have lots of suggestions for how to make him feel better. But Jim can't take all the advice...and has a BIT of a meltdown. Could it be that he just needs a day to feel grumpy?

Suzanne and Max Lang bring hilarity and levity to this very important lesson on emotional literacy, demonstrating to kids that they are allowed to feel their feelings.

Grumpy Monkey is the first title in a series of books targeted at different ages that encourage kids to feel their feelings.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780553537864
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	05/15/2018
Series:	Grumpy Monkey Series
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	12,483
Product dimensions:	10.10(w) x 10.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Suzanne Lang is the author of the New York Times bestselling Grumpy Monkey books as well as several other titles. When she’s not writing books, Suzanne writes for animation. When she’s not doing that, she hangs out with her very funny kids, feeds her many pets, and tries (but usually fails) to take a nap!

Max Lang has illustrated over 20 books including all of the books in the Grumpy Monkey series. When he is not making books he makes films. He has co-directed several animated films including The Snail and the Whale, Zog, Room on the Broom, and The Gruffalo. He has received a BAFTA, two Emmys, two Oscar nominations, and many other honors for his film work. In his spare time he tries to make his kids laugh with dad jokes, and when he inevitably fails, he takes his dogs for a walk.

Editorial Reviews

06/04/2018
A monkey learns to ride out a wave of emotion in this reassuring picture book about feelings from the creators of Families, Families, Families! After Jim Panzee wakes up on the wrong side of the tree, nothing seems right: “The sun was too bright, the sky was too blue, and the bananas were too sweet.” His neighbor Norman suggests that he may just be grumpy, though Jim insists that’s not the problem. On a walk through the jungle, everyone he meets offers advice for changing his mood: “‘You should sing with us!’/... ‘You should lie in the grass!’/... ‘You should take a bath!’” When he’s had his fill of cheery recommendations, he storms off. It’s not until he re-encounters Norman, who’s now nursing an injury, that Jim realizes they will both “probably feel better soon enough,” and that he just needs to be grumpy for a while. Lang nimbly creates an animal cast with expressive cartoonish eyes and exaggerated facial expressions, which make their antics in the playful text all the more humorous. Ages 4–8. (May)

Publishers Weekly

"Bright watercolors of animals doing their thing are winning accompaniments to the narrative’s welcome message that it’s OK to be down sometimes." —School Library Journal

"Great bibliotherapy for the crabby, cranky, and cross. Oscar-nominated animator Max Lang's cartoony illustrations lighten the mood without making light of Jim's mood." —Kirkus Reviews

"Crisp illustrations featuring a broad cast of animated, boldly colored animals ...will draw readers into Jim’s situation until the reassuring outcome. " —Booklist

"[A] reassuring picture book about feelings." —Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

05/01/2018
PreS-K—Monkey Jim Panzee (the different-species name isn't explained) is feeling a bit off, and the other animals can tell. He says he's not grumpy, but they insist that he is, and everyone has an opinion on how to feel better, advice that will teach readers about animal characteristics along the way. "You should sing with us!," say the birds. "You should roll with us!," say the zebras. The peacocks suggest a stroll. It's not until Jim's friend Norman the gorilla empathizes and the buddies settle into the doldrums together that Jim can finally relax. They concur that "It's a wonderful day to be grumpy." Max Lang's bright watercolors of animals doing their thing are winning accompaniments to the narrative's welcome message that it's OK to be down sometimes. VERDICT A welcome companion to Judith Viorst's Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. A solid choice for picture book and SEL collections.—Henrietta Verma, Credo Reference, Jackson Heights, NY

School Library Journal

2018-02-19
It's a wonderful day in the jungle, so why's Jim Panzee so grumpy?When Jim woke up, nothing was right: "The sun was too bright, the sky was too blue, and bananas were too sweet." Norman the gorilla asks Jim why he's so grumpy, and Jim insists he's not. They meet Marabou, to whom Norman confides that Jim's grumpy. When Jim denies it again, Marabou points out that Jim's shoulders are hunched; Jim stands up. When they meet Lemur, Lemur points out Jim's bunchy eyebrows; Jim unbunches them. When he trips over Snake, Snake points out Jim's frown…so Jim puts on a grimacelike smile. Everyone has suggestions to brighten his mood: dancing, singing, swinging, swimming…but Jim doesn't feel like any of that. He gets so fed up, he yells at his animal friends and stomps off…then he feels sad about yelling. He and Norman (who regrets dancing with that porcupine) finally just have a sit and decide it's a wonderful day to be grumpy—which, of course, makes them both feel a little better. Suzanne Lang's encouragement to sit with your emotions (thus allowing them to pass) is nearly Buddhist in its take, and it will be great bibliotherapy for the crabby, cranky, and cross. Oscar-nominated animator Max Lang's cartoony illustrations lighten the mood without making light of Jim's mood; Jim has comically long arms, and his facial expressions are quite funny.Though Jim may have been grumpy because a chimp's an ape and not a monkey, readers will enjoy and maybe learn from his journey. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews