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

Written by Judith Viorst · Illustrated by Ray Cruz

Book #1 in the Alexander series

A young boy recounts the events of his terrible day.

6.3/7 Bookroo experts·4.2/5 Goodreads · 188,742 ratings

32 pages· 741 words· Est. 6 min read-aloud

$9.99Save 4%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Alexander wakes up with gum in his hair, and his day spirals from bad to worse. With no dessert and lima beans for dinner, he wonders if escaping to Australia might help. As everything seems to go wrong, Alexander learns he's not alone in having terrible days. Will he find a way to turn things around, or is this just one of those days? Discover how Alexander navigates his misadventures in this charming tale that resonates with readers of all ages.

From the publisher

The perennially popular tale of Alexander’s worst day is a storybook that belongs on every child’s bookshelf. Alexander knew it was going to be a terrible day when he woke up with gum in this hair. And it got worse… His best friend deserted him. There was no dessert in his lunch bag. And, on top of all that, there were lima beans for dinner and kissing on TV! This handsome new edition of Judith Viorst’s classic picture book is sure to charm readers of all ages.

At a glance

Format
Pages: 32
Words: 741
Reading age: 6–9
Audience: Picture
Lexile: AD840L

Themes & topics

Books about feelings and emotions Books about anger Books about Australia Books about social themes Books about families

What readers & critics say

Reviews

6.3

out of 7

6.5

“This book is a classic for a reason! I love it for two different reasons...1) I love that there isn't really a big happy ending--it's not that Alexander ends up turning his day around (which would also make for a great book). Sometimes we just all have a bad day, which is why this story is so relatable. This book acknowledges emotions and feelings and helps us realize that even if we're having a bad day, there's always tomorrow. And takeaway #2) This book is also hilarious and helps us all realize that our day could get much worse. ;) It's sure to make anyone's bad day turn around!”

B is for Bookworm

Trusted reviewer

5.5

“It's funny, it's silly, and the message is super simple and surprisingly powerful: we all have bad days sometimes. There's something so relatable about Alexander, no matter how young or old we are and no matter what our personal version of a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day looks like, exactly. This book is a classic for a reason, and I think it will continue to be lovable and relatable for generations to come, all around the world--even in Australia.”

Lauren Hancock

Trusted reviewer

For readers who can't stop at one