A Bad Case of the Almosts

by Janet Sumner Johnson

The “almosts” are ruining Abby’s life! She’s almost tall enough. She’s almost a star student. She’s almost first in line—and on and on it goes. So why even bother entering the science fair? The almosts will ruin it anyway. But what if Abby is wrong? Maybe the almosts can actually be a good thing . . .

Feeling disappointment is a part of life, and Janet Sumner Johnson tackles that feeling with force in this inspirational book. In her signature kid-friendly text, Johnson highlights the importance of seeing positives in every situation and using a growth mindset to live your best life.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

Audible Audio

Published April 9, 2024

About the author

Janet Sumner Johnson lives in Utah with her husband and three kids. She bakes a mean cinnamon twist and eats way more cookies than are good for her, which explains her running habit. Though her full-time occupation as evil tyrant/benevolent dictator (aka mom) takes most of her time, she sneaks in writing at night when her inner funny bone is fully unleashed.

Reviews

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a Nutshell: A meaningful story about the role ‘almosts’ can play in our life. Balances fun and moral well.

Abby is struggling with the ALMOSTS. Whatever she does, she is defeated by an ‘almost’, whether it is in studies, or in school projects or at home with her brother. When she ends up *almost* slipping one day, she is fed up and decides to give up trying. However, when another child encounters the same situation with a different result, Abby wonders if almosts can be good as well. Thus begins her investigation of each almost she faces.

There are many things to love in this picture book. Abby makes for a wonderful character as you can feel her frustration with every subsequent almost. She won a greater chunk of my heart when she made a journal to keep track of her investigation. Gotta love a little girl who is organised with her lists! 😉

The level of competitiveness among today’s children (and parents) is extreme. In a world where kids are taught to aim for perfection and success in every single thing they attempt, knowing that you *almost* made it can be detrimental to the mind. The book takes this idea and presents a clear picture of the stress the quest for perfection creates. It also highlights how having an *almost* situation is sometimes better than the alternative. I appreciate how the authors show almosts both as positive and negative, rather than showing every single almost to be a good occurrence. Realistic depictions are always better.

The vocabulary level of the book is great for beginner readers. The official target reader age is children aged 4-7 years.

I loved most of the illustrations. Abby, with her freckles and spectacles, is cute. The children in her classroom have varied skin colours and body sizes, thus adding to the inclusivity factor. Abby’s pug is also adorable, and his antics in very appearance are fun. The only illustration I wasn’t fond of was that of Abby’s mom. She didn’t appear like a mom, what with the ever-present flower clip in her hair and dangly earrings even during bedtime. I know there are young mums too, but somehow, this sketch just felt off to me.

Overall though, no major complaints. It is a sweet book with a great message. Definitely recommended. It would work wonderfully in homes as well as in schools.

4.25 stars.


My thanks to Capstone and NetGalley for the DRC of “A Bad Case of the Almosts”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.



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[Srivalli (Semi-Hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Almosts seemed to be the story of Abby’s life. From almost winning a fight with her brother to almost being the best, it appeared that she never reached the final point. Abby is disgusted by the almost, but a chance encounter makes her wonder if almost can be good. She decides to investigate and makes a surprising discovery.

Oh, I love this book! As they say, no one remembers who came second; the next best is no longer enough in today’s world. But what if almost has a good side? Abby is a science girl by heart, and it makes me so happy to see her plan her investigation with a book in hand. She made notes to keep track of good almosts and bad almosts. My kinda girl, I say!

The book shows both sides of the coin and makes it believable. It is realistic enough to explain things to kids. The illustrations are vibrant, cheerful, and delightful. Detailing is important in kiddo books, and it tickled me to see the pug stealing food from the breakfast table, lol.

The font is of decent size. The dialogues are in cursive writing (my favorite again!). Almost is highlighted every time, and the wacky font makes it fun to read. The flowchart at the end about how to deal with almosts is a great touch. I’ve read the author’s Braver than Brave and must say that she writes sweet and heartwarming kiddo books.

To summarize, A Bad Case of the Almosts is not just for little ones but for adults too. It’s okay if life gives us almosts. We’ll make it work.

I received an ARC from NetGalley, Capstone, and Capstone Editions and am voluntarily leaving a review.

#ABadCaseoftheAlmosts #NetGalley

[Ankit Saxena · Rating 4 out of 5]

One Thing that I understand after & while reading this picture book is that one must be anyone but never be an 'almost' to anything. This 'almost' has no count and contains no value at all.

Abby is a young girl who is almost to many things but not fully anything in her life, be it an achievement or daily chores. It gives a very good account of practicality in daily life for how things left just 'next to accomplished' and not completely. Her life full of 'almosts' is fun to read and seems to be an almost(haha) my life too.

My NetGalley Reviews: https://www.netgalley.com/book/266339...

[sabina👩🏻‍🎨 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abby instantly reminded me of a lot of children in my school. Determined, defiant and opinionated, they seek out their own answers as to why things don't turn out in their favour. Well, Abby certainly succeeded in finding her own answers instead of demanding them from adults, which is a good start in my opinion. There are illustrations and solid examples as to why situations that don't go in our favour can actually be a good thing. I loved the 'decision tree' towards the end of the book. It was so cute, and shows how you can take bad situations and turn them into good ones for both you and others!

[Star Gater · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Capstone Editions for accepting my request to read and review A Bad Case of the Almosts.

Author: Janet Sumner Johnson
Published: 01/01/23
Genre: Children's Fiction -- Humor & Satire

Five stars from me. I know more adults that need this than kids, and just as quickly as I had this thought, the activity popped up at the end of the book. Kids need to learn the how and why we make choices. The activity shows the answers, beautifully. It won't hurt for adults to have a refresher.

The illustrations are whimsical. The cuteness makes for a cheery read. There is no cloud hanging over the almosts, just everyday occurrences. I like that the artwork is not dark, leaving open a friendly conversation.

I would gift this to kids going to school, caregivers, and babysitters.

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, Capstone, for the advance reading copy.

The book looks almost perfect from the cover! No doubt it's a good storybook with some little but lasting life lessons for the young readers on how not to take things so harshly on the "almost" things that happen in life. It can be good or bad depending on the situation.

The book tries to tell this difference.

I feel the story might be a little confusing in between.

The illustration is so good. Kudos to the artist! Looking forward to your other works!

[Heather Emokpae · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun romp into putting situations into perspective. The text flows well and is easy to follow. It took me on a rollercoaster of emotion, feeling sad for Abby then feeling relieved for her. An excellent read for kids who might feel down about never quite being or having enough. Fun additions included like a flow chart of possible reactions to situations and the ripple effects they could cause.

Also, Alexandra Colombo knocked the illustrations out of the park! Abby’s facial expressions are perfectly encapsulating of her emotions, but why does her mom always look so angry?

[M (RAIN CITY READS) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a delightful picture book. It features Abby, who has a bad case of the almosts. When the book begins, we see a list of things that almost happen, or situations that are almost what she wants. She almost cleans her room (but gets distracted), she almost gets 100% on her science test (99%), she almost has enough money for a toy she wants. After a day of almosts, she is upset - it feels like everything is an almost, but never quite what she wants.

Until she almost slips in a mud puddle, and another kid in her class slips and falls. She realizes that, in that case, almost was actually lucky. Curious to find out if "almost" is actually a bad thing, she decides to run an experiment keeping track of both her good and bad almosts to find out.

This is a delightful book. The art is stunning, the story is entertaining but also a wonderful lesson in appreciating the things that work out instead of focusing on the things that don't - and that sometimes things are better than they seem. It's a great lesson in relativity and positivity that I think readers from all ages can learn from or use a reminder of. Abby herself is an endearing character - she has a great sense of style (including ever-present yellow gloves).

As a parent, this book has what I look for. Story, art, lesson, and it even incorporates some important concepts like the scientific method, observation and even how to make decisions when faced with a disappointment. I love books that help kids figure out how to navigate difficult situations in life, but do so in a fun way. This book does exactly that. My kid and I had a great time reading it!

Thank you to Capstone Editions and Netgally for access to this lovely book!

[Ancillar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

The book tells the story of Abby who is having a day full of almost . Abby goes from almost winning a fight with her brother to almost being the first at school. She then decides to work to see if the almost's are good or bad. I enjoyed this book so much as someone who has also experienced a day of almost's. The book is relatable , the illustrations are exceptional and it's catchy. I recommend it!

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Capstone for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: 01 Jan 2023

Why I picked up the book: I let my son pick out some books to read together and the cover caught his eye and the title of the book caught mine.

What I liked the most about the book: Illustrations are on point! I also loved the STEM representation in this book!

Who I would recommend to read this book: Yes! My son loved going through the decision tree at the end to navigate to sunny or stormy skies. We've been having issues transitioning from daycare to school and this story fit right in with some of our discussions regarding consequences based on actions with the decision tree.

If you like the Ada Twist, Scientist series on Netflix or the book series - you will love this book! I plan to add this one to our collection.

Rating: 5/5*

Genre: Children's Fiction | Humor

#ABadCaseoftheAlmosts #NetGalley

[Kiersten · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an extremely cute book. The art is adorable - I just want to squeeze Abby's little cheeks! - and the lesson is a clever one that many young kids could stand to learn, but not too preachy. I honestly wish they had gone even a little further with finding the positives of the "almosts" in Abby's life. At the end of the book she's left with the "bad almosts" of "Almost getting 100% on the test" and "Almost being at the front of the line." While those are situations where she'd obviously like to go beyond "almost," almost still leaves her in a pretty good place! I initially thought that was the direction this book was going to go in, but it focused more on being grateful for the bad things that didn't happen (e.g. almost getting hit in the face by a soccer ball). There were some legitimately disappointing almosts in the book, like not getting to go on a ride and not getting a prize at school, where being super close feels still means missing the fun, which could have gone in the "bad" list instead.

In the back of the book it has a "decision tree" that I was a little confused by. It seems like you're supposed to pick one of a few different responses to an unfortunate "almost" and then follow a string of results to see how it turns out. This is more of a story than a series of natural results, though - deep breathing leads to cleaning your brother's room? It felt more like the template for a Choose Your Own Adventure book than a useful teaching tool (especially since the positive choices don't necessarily lead to outcomes that a kid would consider positive, and vice versa).

Overall, I really enjoyed seeing the way that Abby learned from her experiences and was empowered to take charge of how she felt. The ending, when she realized she could amend her own "too scared" to "almost too scared," was very sweet.

I received a free review copy from NetGalley.

[Dotdala_reads (Sam R) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh Abby, I feel ya girl!!!
'Almosts' are THE worst, for realz!

When you feel like life hits ya in the gut, over and over again - it's hekkin' hard to think positive and then everything seems to pile on and get worse (even though it might not be, it just feels like it).

Abby was feeling some sort of way every time she didn't quite get what she wanted. Determined she had had enough, she was going to quit the science fair and stop trying- NOOO WAY, MMMKAY- not gonna happen, not today! When someone proved to have worse luck than she did, Abby decided that maybe she had to do some legit thinking before she came to the conclusion that 'almost' was a bad thing.

HOW FLIPPING CUTE was this book!!!?? The STEM representation in a childrens book- HECK YES! Abby got down to business testing and analyzing - EVEN WITH A HYPOTHESIS- each 'almost' that she came across. Was it a bad thing? Was it a good thing?
I thought once Abby started looking at the bigger picture, she realized that something she may have thought was a BAD almost - may be for her- but is a GOOD almost for someone else. She started looking at the positives of any negative that came her way. THEN SHE EVEN HELPED HER LITTLE BROSKI to overcome his fear of jumping in the pool- WIN WIN ALL AROUND! YOU GO, ABBY!

I think this is a brilliant book to hone in on this with students or children. It was delightful, colorful, fun and relatable.

BONUSSSSS! There is a 'decision tree' at the end that can be used to guide appropriate reactions in situations we cannot control.

[Jessica Gard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abby is tired of living with a bad case of the almosts. She is almost tall enough to enter rides, almost gets a perfect score on a test, and almost gets to the last cookie before her brother. Over and over, the almosts add up to anger Abby. But soon she finds herself almost missing a puddle and watches as the girl behind her falls in. Suddenly she realizes that almosts can also be a good thing!

Great for K-3 readers, this book tells a wonderful story about how we can change our perspectives on things that almost frustrate us too much.

I really enjoyed this book, the illustrations are vibrant and I loved the multiple settings. There is also a great flow chart at the end that you can go through with your reader to help them understand how our reactions to things can dictate whether they turn our good or bad.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Capstone publishing for the opportunity to read and review this title, releasing in early 2023.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is super interesting and has a great premise. At the beginning of the story, a girl named Abby shares all of the good things that almost happened, which of course meant missing out on fun and positive activities, for example, almost getting 100% on a test, almost being first in line, almost getting the last cookie. As the story progresses, Abby creates a hypothesis that all almosts are bad. She learns by observing almosts that sometimes almosts are good things like: almost running out of the best cereal and buying more, almost getting hit by a soccer ball and almost being too scared to do something she really wanted to do. In those cases she almost didn't get the positive but she did! At the end of the story there is a decision tree concept which I think is super cool, but I think it is a little too complex and there is not a lot of explanation about using it. Perhaps a smaller example of the decision tree would have been a better option to not overwhelm young readers as I think it is a really important idea to include!

The fonts are a little bit all over the place and can be a bit challenging to read at times. With random speech bubbles and things I could also see struggling readers having a hard time figuring out how to read and comprehend this text. The illustrations are wonderful though and really help with telling the story. I also love how stylish the mom is, totally not the way moms are usually represented in picture books haha! Overall it is a super great book and teaches about a concept that we don't often thinking about or teach kids. I would definitely recommend this book, thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this book!

[Storywraps · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abby, an adorable little girl, is obsessed with the term "almost" running her life. She "almost" beat her brother to the bathroom, "almost" finished cleaning up her room, "almost" got 100 percent on her science test, and "almost" had enough money to buy a toy dinosaur ... and the list goes on and on and on.

When Abby witnesses another girl falling in the exact same place that she did, sadly a face plant, Abby tells her she almost fell there too. The girl stands back up and tells Abby she was lucky to "ALMOST" have fallen. This gets Abby thinking could "almost" actually be a good thing?" Mmmmmm?

Not always being able to do the things you want leaves one feeling sad and disappointed but it is part of life. It is a lovely lesson to learn.

The illustrations are fantastic! They are colourful and expressive and full of emotion and humour. The author has included The Decision Tree at the end of the book which was a stroke of genius. It is a visual for kids who need an example of how to make decisions and manage how they react to problems that may occur in their life. The book is well written and inspirational. This would be an excellent book to include in a classroom setting and in the school library. I love the book and highly, highly recommend it.

[DeeJade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abby is a reflection of all of us in a child form. We are all determined, defiant, and very opinionated. However, despite working hard on things we want to do, things sometimes do not go in our favor. It is pretty frustrating to see it from Abby's point of view. But little Abby does not let all the "almost" in her life ruin her day. Abby hypothesizes that maybe not all "almost" are bad, and to prove that, she gets to observing, testing, and contemplating in a scientific method. This book is a great read to show my students that they can form their theory, test it out to learn, and even share their findings to help others.

The illustrations are fantastic! They are colorful and expressive and full of emotion and humor. There are illustrations and solid examples as to why situations that don't go in our favor can be a good thing. The Decision Tree at the end of the book was perfect for teaching little kids how to handle situations and make decisions and learn how to react to problems that may occur in their life.


Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Calyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The message in this book is something all children will learn on their own, but in here, it's handled as a learning opportunity to manage "almosts" and try to make the best of them. I love that the scientific method (in a more condensed form) is shown in the book, as well as some critical thinking. At the end, there's a chart that shows good or bad reactions to something happening, and while it is specific to the book, it still is useful and may help a child understand how to manage their angry responses and create a better outcome instead. The illustrations are cute and the coloring is gorgeous. The pug is adorable. I really loved this book, and so did the child I showed it to.

Thanks to Capstone Editions and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Bad Case of the Almosts is a super-fun read with a solid STEM foundation.

Abby's problems and frustrations are easy to relate to. Her curious approach to how to deal with them is a lesson to us all - and a lesson that never comes across as preachy.

A great and empowering book about figuring things out for yourself - and sharing what you've learned to help others, it will be a nice fit in classrooms, and a fun introduction to using the scientific method in everyday life.

The illustrations are wonderful - bright and lively with some fun background details for readers who look closely.

Extra love for the decision tree at the back of the book. It's a fun thing for readers to use to try on a variety of possible responses.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

A successful book with the eye to turning our attention to the small successes, as opposed to those little failures and downers our days are peppered with. So you almost found yourself out of your favourite cereal, almost did a face-plant in front of your schoolmates, and almost electrocuted yourself when playing with a power socket – those almosts are good ones, and easily go further to making our life a joy than moaning about almost winning a sports event. It's about having the right response and mindset to anything where we see a different outcome, and realising we're a lot better off than we might at first think. Vibrant colours help the illustrations engage with young attentions, and this ends up a hit – no almost about it.

[K.W. Penndorf Much Ado About Writing · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is more than "almost" adorable. Young audiences will absolutely relate to Abby's opinion about being almost tall enough, almost smart enough, and almost first in line for class. They'll learn alongside Abby, that having "almosts" is actually a positive. I enjoyed the voice of Abby and how her pessimistic outlook wasn't depressing rather realistic. I also loved how Abby turned these situational lemons into lemonade, which is always a great message for any age. I think Janet Sumner Johnson has a done a wonderful job capturing a child's lens and how they interpret the world via their daily activities. A Bad Case of the Almosts is an absolute re-readable book! Thank you NetGalley and Capstone for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

“A Bad Case of The Almosts“ by Janet Sumner Johnson, with illustrations by Alexandra Colombo, is a picture book for young readers about the things we miss out on.

Abby feels like she’s missing out on things. She’s almost tall enough. She’s almost a student with great grades. When the science fair comes around, Abby decides to track the almosts in her life and discovers something really interesting: there are good almosts and bad.

I liked this book about learning how to be scientific about the things that happen in our lives, and realizing that not only bad things can happen to us but also good things. The illustrations are bright and cheery and I think young readers will like the lesson.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book! Below is my honest review.

Summary of plot:
Abby has a bad case of the "almosts". She almost beats her brother to the bathroom. She almost gets 100% on her test. One day, she gets so tired of the "almost" situations! Until she realizes the "almost" situations aren't always bad.

Pros about the book:
✔️ The "Almost" Study was kind of a cute idea.
✔️ Great messaging about how "almost" can be good sometimes!
✔️ Diverse characters

Cons about the book:
❌ None that I can think of

Would I recommend this book? Yes.

[Donna Metler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recieved an eARC of this book free of charge so I could read and review it. Thank you for the opportunity.

Abby has a problem. She almost makes it, every time. And she is sick and tired of "almost”. A chance encounter encourages her to try to look at the other side.

This book does a good job of demonstrating the SEL techniques of doing a t-chart and positive framing, in an appealing picture book. Abby is relatable and will be an appealing protagonist. This is a good book for use in school and group settings, particularly for school counselors for kids struggling with perfectionism, or for parents who have children who struggle with these issues.

[Rashmi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I've been smiling the entire time it took me to read the book :)

I love it. The curious innocence every child has, has been beautifully highlighted in this book. The story is very free-flowing. I kept turning the pages till I reached the end, and was at the edge of my seat wanting to find out which almost Abby discovers next. Janet has done a great job at writing this.

The illustrations are amazing! In fact, that's what caught my eye first. Be it the characters, or the details in the background, the expressions, all were top-notch. Great job by Alexandra.

Definitely a great read!

-ARC by NetGalley-

[Joy Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The story is about Abby, a spunky little girl who finds herself so close to achieving what she wants, almost, but like her mom told her "almost doesn't count...". When someone else told her that sometimes "almost" can be good, she decided to conduct an experiment to test out if almost can be good and bad.

The art work in the book has a lot of wonderful details, with bright and beautiful colours.

My daughter loved the decision tree on the last page the most, as she loves the independence from choose- your- own adventure type of books.

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read "A Bad Case of the Almosts". I loved the art and all the examples of "Almosts".

I think everyone has had one of those days where things just don't quite go right. Like how you really, really want to get to the bus and the door just shuts as you get to the bus stop, or you just missed one too many points on your test in school. Like Abby, sometimes, we're thankful that we almost fell but didn't or we almost were out of cereal but had just enough for your morning bowl. Almost is that precipice from which good or bad could happen. It could turn out really bad, but it can turn out just as good.

[Cheyenne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abby’s life is being ruined by the Almosts. She almost got the last cookie, she almost got to be her best friend’s science project partner, her room was almost clean, etc. She thinks the Almosts must always be bad, but are they? Abby does a science experiment to figure that out and what she learns surprises her and changes her. This book has great illustrations and is very well done. It is a great read for elementary age children.

Thank you NetGalley and Capstone for the opportunity to read this book.

[Susanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author, Capstone Editions and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This children's book shows the effects of looking at both the negative and the positive side of things. Abby starts out by seeing "almost" negatively, as not reaching her goal, falling short etc. and realizes that "almost" has a positive side too. What an important life lesson, to have a mindset that is open and sees different outcomes. I loved the modified use of the scientific method, to evaluate pros and cons, and the illustrations were fantastic.

[Aileen Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I almost ran out of time to read this book before I had to return it to the library. However, I'm really glad I didn't because this story was one of the most creative ways I've ever seen to look at the bright side of things. My mother always told me it's not your circumstances that defeat you, but your attitude towards them and MC Abby learns this very lesson. Good Job Janet Summer Johnson. And a shout out to Alexandra Colombo who helped bring this story to life with her colorful and adorable illustrations!!!

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Bad Case of the Almosts by Janet Sumner Johnson is a great children's book. Abby does an experiment to see if almosts can be both good and bad. At first, she thinks almosts are bad but does the experiment and sees that almosts are also good.

The illustrations are amazing and so bright and colorful. The images really bring the book to life. A very quick read that any child or adult will enjoy.

This is a 5 out of 5 stars!

#ABadCaseoftheAlmosts #NetGalley @CapstonePub