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That Makes Me Mad!
What makes Nina mad? Well, just the kinds of things that would make any kid mad—Sometimes you talk about me like I'm not even there...When I want you fast and it takes you forever...When it's my turn to talk and nobody listens...that makes me mad! In this spirited portrait of daily life through the eyes of a child, Steven Kroll reveals precisely what drives children crazy. First published in 1976, these vignettes still resonate with profound humor and emotional truth while Christine Davenier's all-new illustrations overflow with buoyant energy and expression. Here is an ideal book for parents and children to share-for pure pleasure or for exploring emotions and family love.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1976
40 people want to read
About the author
Steven Kroll
124 books28 followersStephen Kroll spoke at schools and conferences all over the world. He was married to the journalist, Kathleen Beckett, and they lived in New York City and an old carriage house in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. When he was not writing or traveling, he played a lot of tennis and walked around looking at everything.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 26, 2018
This is one of my favorite books from childhood. I love, love, love the illustrations and Nina not being afraid to express her anger.
April 12, 2018
Not a good read aloud but would be a great way to talk to a child about controlling anger.
October 1, 2025
I love these cute and funny books that still raise the hair on my arms:)
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May 11, 2016Nina in...That Makes Me Mad!
Reading level: J (guided reading), 170 (lexile)
Book interest level: pre-k through 1st - it could seem a little baby-ish for some first graders, but many immature first graders I know from my job (and even 2nd and 3rd graders) could appreciate the message of this book - and learn something from it!
Book summary: This graphic novel tells the story of Nina, a little girl who gets MAD a lot! Each section is a vignette that shows a different situation that makes Nina mad and describes how she acts when she feels that way. The book ends with Nina explaining that it helps to tell someone that she is mad and process that feeling with an adult.
Mentor trait: conventions. Because this book has a simple, somewhat juvenile subject matter and would appeal to younger students, I think that its strongest mentor trait is one that emerging writers can appreciate: conventions. The short, clear language is perfect for showcasing punctuation, quotation, and capital letters.
Integration: I would read this to my kindergarteners to talk about not only how they feel but how they can write and draw their feelings to help process them and think critically.
Reading level: J (guided reading), 170 (lexile)
Book interest level: pre-k through 1st - it could seem a little baby-ish for some first graders, but many immature first graders I know from my job (and even 2nd and 3rd graders) could appreciate the message of this book - and learn something from it!
Book summary: This graphic novel tells the story of Nina, a little girl who gets MAD a lot! Each section is a vignette that shows a different situation that makes Nina mad and describes how she acts when she feels that way. The book ends with Nina explaining that it helps to tell someone that she is mad and process that feeling with an adult.
Mentor trait: conventions. Because this book has a simple, somewhat juvenile subject matter and would appeal to younger students, I think that its strongest mentor trait is one that emerging writers can appreciate: conventions. The short, clear language is perfect for showcasing punctuation, quotation, and capital letters.
Integration: I would read this to my kindergarteners to talk about not only how they feel but how they can write and draw their feelings to help process them and think critically.
November 30, 2013
This is a wonderful book on teaching children how to recognize and express their emotions. This book talks about things that make you made and why it makes you mad. Children will find this book extremely relatable and understand that by expressing themselves they are creating an open communication with adults.
November 23, 2009
Funny, wonderfully-illustrated view of the temper tantrums kids have. Depending on your mood, this is an insightful look into normal child development, or a keen description of drama queen behavior at its best.
January 12, 2012
Meh. Tried to read this with my son, but we ended up stopping before we got to the end. We read aloud, and it was quite difficult for him to follow the reasons Nina gave for being mad and the jumpy dialogue all on the same page.
March 20, 2008
This book really ecompasses a lot of what children feel.
January 28, 2009
This is a hard book to read aloud, because there is lots of dialogue between the girl and her family. But it is a cute book that can provoke a good discussion.
September 9, 2009
Great book for discussing things that make us mad & how to deal with that emotion that bottles up inside us. Both my 5 yo & 2.5 yo liked reading this book.
April 2, 2011
Nina, the character in this book, is someone students can relate to . The pictures are colorful with short phrases . Therefore it is is an easy to read book.
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April 9, 2013This was a favorite of mine as a child and now I love reading it with my own children. It's a great book to help children begin to learn how to deal with anger.
June 11, 2015
Another tantrum book with a cheezy ending. Illustrations didn't rock me either. This book was just meh to me.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews