Oscar's Book

by Jeff Moss, Michael Gross (Illustrator)

This book is in excellent condition! I have tons of vintage children's books, please see the rest of my shop listings and have a spectacular day.

Genres: Childrens, Picture Books, Fiction, Classics, Juvenile

24 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1975

About the author

Jeff Moss was a head writer and composer-lyricist on Sesame Street. Some of his best-known songs from the show include "Rubber Duckie," "I Love Trash," "The People in Your Neighborhood," "I Don't Want to Live on the Moon," and "Nasty Dan." In addition to songwriting, Moss helped create Cookie Monster, Oscar the Grouch, and Guy Smiley.

Moss won 15 Emmys for his work and wrote the songs for four Grammy Award-winning records. When released as a single in 1970, "Rubber Duckie" sold more than a million copies. Moss' songs were known internationally as well; Claude François' recording of "Nasty Dan" went to #1 on the pop chart in France.

He also composed the songs and score for The Muppets Take Manhattan, for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Music, Original Song Score. The Oscar went to Prince for Purple Rain.

Reviews

[Kelcie McKenney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a trash connoisseur myself. Real recognize real, Oscar.

[Karin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This reminded me of The Monster at the End of the Book. Having a beloved character engage directly with the reader is so fun.

[Blue · Rating 2 out of 5]

You know when someone is losing their mind and the only thing to do is scream until they get confused and stop? This book made me think of that.

Although this book starts in an annoying format, it is about someone who is grumpy and complaining and who end the end admits all they want to do is be grouchy and complainy. A good book to give you the complainers in your life, or for just feel better knowing someone feels the way you do, about complainers or about the joy of complaining.

[Laura Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic Oscar the Grouch. Slightly edgy and fun. Today's kids will think it is just as funny as us 70's kids did. Pure awesomeness!

[AmbroseKalifornia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oscar the Grouch gets five stars. If you gotta problem with that, too bad!

Now, SCRAM!

Heh-heh-heh.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't generally include kids books but I saw this on Amazon. I had totally forgotten how much I liked this book 40 years ago as a kid. My 4 yr old wanted an Elmo book and i added this on a whim. He loves it more then all his other books. Art is engaging. The interaction is much like the more populer (and also great) Monster at End of Book with character speaking and pleasing with the reader.

If you never read give it a try. Channel your inner antisocial grouch (if your on good reads we all have that side) and delight a new generation.

[Edward Sojuwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Sesame Street volume from Jeff Moss has Oscar the Grouch griping at young readers for being such inquisitive readers whilst he aches for personal space for himself and the trashcan he calls his home. And building a trash can rocket ship doesn't seem to do it either. Very humorous and with Oscar's fans in mind! Yes Oscar! You have fans! Deal with it!
4 Stars
The Grouch is Grunge personified!

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was never a huge fan of Sesame Street but I've always loved their Little Golden "Monster" books. This is filled with cute pictures and funny monologue as Oscar the Grouch demands the reader leave him alone!

[Aleksa May · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oscar Being Oscar. This is Oscar doing his best to get us the reader to go away. Oscar gets into scrapes and has a few sticky moments. All Oscar really wants is someone and something to moan and yell at a bit. Big Bird bringing everyone over to talk to Oscar is hilarious. A fun Sesame Street Book.

[Monica Loftus · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like how this book talks to the reader. It pretends that the reader is talking to it and I like how the words are in word bubbles

[Stacey]

Two copies Blue and Green covers

[Kylie Abecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This reads very similar to An Monster At The End of This Book’. I must say - I do like Grouch - he’s so relatable lol

[Lashville Kids · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was funny. We loved how he made that big balloon thingy out of his trash can.

[Airihi Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved it!

[John Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

He’s such a drama queen. I love him.

[Phil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute. I love the Oscar song, too!

[Cailin Patterson]

Gray loves when Nik reads this to him, his favorite part is finding Oscar in the trash cans

[David Sarkies · Rating 1 out of 5]

Glamorising the garbage can
18 November 2013

Why is it that when I typed in 'Oscar's Book' into the Goodread's search engine it came up with The Brothers Karamazov. I can understand it coming up with the Picture of Dorian Gray because that was written by Oscar Wilde, and I can understand how a computer can mistake a little green man who lives in a garbage can and bitches and moans all day with Oscar Wilde, but what has Oscar the Grouch got to do with Crime and Punishment (unless Dostoyevsky has some guy named Oscar in all of his books, but since I have not read these books – yet – I am unable to comment).

This is a book where we spend something like twenty four pages listening to Oscar bitch and moan about how he does not like company and how he does not want anybody to bother him, only to realise at the end of the book that he wants company because if he does not have any company he doesn't have anybody to bitch and moan to.

Personally, I don't understand why they are creating a character that lives in a garbage bin and bitches and moans all day because I don't think that that is something that we should be instilling into a children. It is sort of like that book that suggested (to children) that becoming a homeless bum was a legitimate career choice (well it is, technically, but I don't know any parents who ever dream of their children becoming homeless bums, or at least middle class parents – I can't really say all that much about those living in the lower class in places like – well I won't name the places but you know what I mean – who probably expect that their kids will become homeless).

I'm sure Oscar is one of those beloved characters on Sesame street that nobody likes me criticising because, well, it's a children's show, but since we complain that children can be influenced by violent video games and dodgy movies, then is it not possible that children could also be influenced by some green guy that spends all of his day bitching and moaning and living in a garbage can. Personally, if I had children, I wouldn't want them to make Oscar the Grouch their role model.

[Julia Tyser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Oscar! And what a fun interactive book to make kids feel like they’re part of the story.

[Vyviane Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. It's been forty years and I still think of it!

[Gabriel Wallis · Rating 2 out of 5]

My nephew Beau gave me this book for my birthday on October 3, 1983, when I turned three years old. To be honest, I wasn't too impressed with this book. My kids were, though. They loved Oscar's grouchiness. I must have portrayed it fairly well, for they were totally wrapped up in the "story". And was it a story? No, not at all. It was more of a monologue directed at the reader. Oscar just seemed angry that you were bothering him. So, if the kids were entertained, then I'm satisfied. And that's why I gave the book two stars.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book, thinking that it would resemble The Monster at the End of this Book, but I honestly wasn't impressed. I don't think that I'd ever read it again!

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the classic Little Golden Books that Sesame Street put out but doesn't keep in print. I loved this book as a boy, and my girls love it today (so much so that I had to find another copy because mine was destroyed).

Oscar undergoes a radical transformation in this book, before ultimately discovering what makes him really happy.

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oscar the Grouch breaks the fourth wall once he notices that the reader is reading his book and keeps telling the reader to go away. I thought the words in the book were so funny as a child because I watched Sesame Street and really enjoyed reading it aloud when I learned to read. I never really cared for the pictures, but the story made me laugh.

[Vicki Edwards · Rating 3 out of 5]

As its a holiday I'm indulging my partners whimsical recollections of childhood by reading his favourite book of the time. The final page I find definitely explains where my grouch took his inspiration from :)

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

So excited! Found my old favorite on my nephew's shelf (yes, one of the many books my sister 'stole' from me ;) ) it's obviously not a literary great but was worth the read for the memories of my childhood ;)

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

the fear and extreme tension that arose in me towards the end of this...classic thriller of our time...

[Minervinij · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found a new Fav!!!:) Ha!

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books as a kid, I'm so happy I kept it in great shape because I've passed it down to Katie.

[C.A. Craven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oscar has always been my favorite Sesame Street muppet, even when I was a kid, so I was thrilled to find this in a used book sale!