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The Grudge Keeper
No one in the town of Bonnyripple ever kept a grudge.
No one, that is, except old Cornelius, the Grudge Keeper.
Ruffled feathers, petty snits, minor tiffs and major huffs, insults, umbrage, squabbles, dust-ups, and imbroglios--the Grudge Keeper received them all, large and small, tucking each one carefully away in his ramshackle cottage.
But when a storm flings the people together and their grudges to the wind, will the Grudge Keeper be out of a job?
No one, that is, except old Cornelius, the Grudge Keeper.
Ruffled feathers, petty snits, minor tiffs and major huffs, insults, umbrage, squabbles, dust-ups, and imbroglios--the Grudge Keeper received them all, large and small, tucking each one carefully away in his ramshackle cottage.
But when a storm flings the people together and their grudges to the wind, will the Grudge Keeper be out of a job?
Audio CD
First published March 1, 2014
6 people are currently reading
236 people want to read
About the author
Mara Rockliff
40 books58 followersMara Rockliff is the author of many well-loved books for children. Her newest picture book is All at Once Upon a Time, about which Booklist warns, "Be prepared for this amusing storytime selection to be requested over and over."
Among her best-known titles are Mesmerized: How Ben Franklin Solved a Mystery that Baffled All of France, winner of the Cook Prize and an Orbis Pictus Honor; Around America to Win the Vote: Two Suffragists, a Kitten, and 10,000 Miles, distributed to schools and libraries across the country by the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission; and Sweet Justice: Georgia Gilmore and the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which in 2023 received a Sibert Honor from the American Library Association.
Under the pen name Lewis B. Montgomery, she also wrote all twelve books in the popular Milo & Jazz Mysteries chapter book series, which has been translated into Spanish, French, Turkish, and Chinese.
Rockliff lives in Western Massachusetts. Visit her online at mararockliff.com.
Among her best-known titles are Mesmerized: How Ben Franklin Solved a Mystery that Baffled All of France, winner of the Cook Prize and an Orbis Pictus Honor; Around America to Win the Vote: Two Suffragists, a Kitten, and 10,000 Miles, distributed to schools and libraries across the country by the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission; and Sweet Justice: Georgia Gilmore and the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which in 2023 received a Sibert Honor from the American Library Association.
Under the pen name Lewis B. Montgomery, she also wrote all twelve books in the popular Milo & Jazz Mysteries chapter book series, which has been translated into Spanish, French, Turkish, and Chinese.
Rockliff lives in Western Massachusetts. Visit her online at mararockliff.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
September 10, 2016
If I were to hazard a guess, I would say that the phrase, “There’s no use crying over spilled milk” was invented with the intention of comforting a two or three-year-old. Small children, one learns, are capable of great waves of hurt at the smallest, silliest things. You want to really know why the picture book Pete the Cat is the massive success it is? Because at its heart it’s about letting go of peripheral annoyances in everyday life. Children lack perspective. And when kids get a little older, they may still need some reminding on this front. Grudges and imagined slights abound for a certain kind of kid on a regular day-to-day basis. So while I wouldn’t necessarily say that there was an outright need for a book like The Grudge Keeper, by the same token it has a message in it that it couldn’t hurt a kid to hear. That and the fact that it’s a rather charmingly illustrated and written little beastie make it one of my understated favorites of the year.
You would think that a town where no one keeps a grudge would be the happiest place on earth. But for all that Old Cornelius, the Grudge Keeper, does a good job of cataloging every tiff and squabble in his home, the denizens of Bonnyripple just keep on finding more reasons to complain. Every day they load the old man down with their petty squabbles until the inevitable happens. One day a horrid wind comes along and manages to blow the old man’s home apart. Grudges are strewn everywhere, and only by digging through them to rescue Old Cornelius to the townspeople begin to see how utterly ridiculous some of their problems really are. Grudges disappear. Fences are mended. And by the end, Bonnyripple learns that life’s too short to hold onto your grudges OR to give them to someone else to hold onto. Sometimes you’ve just gotta let ‘em go.
Author Rockliff dandles language like a toy. Her thesaurus must be positively exhausted after all the different connotations of the word “grudge”. In this book we hear about ruffled feathers, petty snits, tiffs, huffs, insults, umbrages, squabbles, dust-ups, imbroglios (my personal favorite), offenses, complaints, accusations, quibbles, low blows, high dudgeon, left-handed compliments, and pique. It’s not just the words, though. It’s how Rockliff integrates them into the text. The book has all the trappings of a folktale without actually being one. You’d be forgiven, then, for forgetting that it isn’t a classic tale handed down from mother to child for generations. From that first sentence (“No one in the town of Bonnyripple ever kept a grudge. No one, that is, except Old Cornelius, the Grudge Keeper”) to the last, the book has a delightful tone and a complete, satisfying structure.
It wasn’t that I was necessarily unaware of artist Eliza Wheeler. I’d seen her nice work on Miss Maple's Seeds and it was entirely charming. For this book, Wheeler pulls out her usual roster of dip pens, Indian ink, and watercolor. The book itself is painted in a soft green/gold glow, like the pages have a slightly yellowed tinge to them. Wheeler also does a darn good job of distinguishing amongst the characters. Read the book twice and suddenly you get a sense of their personalities. Read it a third time and you even begin to get a sense of the layout of the village itself. No small feat. And I don’t know if author Mara Rockliff necessarily envisioned that her goat and cat would have narratives of their own, but that’s what Wheeler gave them. Besides, you’d have to have a pretty cold heart not to love a goat in a top hat. All he needs is a monocle and he’d be the talk of the town.
Folktales will always have a place in the realm of children’s literature. They remain the number one most efficient way to dole out lessons to the kiddies without sounding like you’re trying to teach them something. But new folktales are always welcome and that’s precisely what The Grudge Keeper really is. Timely in its telling, Rockliff and Wheeler together manage to make a book that feels simultaneously fresh and classic all in one go. Beautifully rendered and written, there’s nothing begrudging in my praise of this work. If you want something that could be read by countless generations of kids thanks to its classic feel, this little title has your number. Sublime.
For ages 4-7.
You would think that a town where no one keeps a grudge would be the happiest place on earth. But for all that Old Cornelius, the Grudge Keeper, does a good job of cataloging every tiff and squabble in his home, the denizens of Bonnyripple just keep on finding more reasons to complain. Every day they load the old man down with their petty squabbles until the inevitable happens. One day a horrid wind comes along and manages to blow the old man’s home apart. Grudges are strewn everywhere, and only by digging through them to rescue Old Cornelius to the townspeople begin to see how utterly ridiculous some of their problems really are. Grudges disappear. Fences are mended. And by the end, Bonnyripple learns that life’s too short to hold onto your grudges OR to give them to someone else to hold onto. Sometimes you’ve just gotta let ‘em go.
Author Rockliff dandles language like a toy. Her thesaurus must be positively exhausted after all the different connotations of the word “grudge”. In this book we hear about ruffled feathers, petty snits, tiffs, huffs, insults, umbrages, squabbles, dust-ups, imbroglios (my personal favorite), offenses, complaints, accusations, quibbles, low blows, high dudgeon, left-handed compliments, and pique. It’s not just the words, though. It’s how Rockliff integrates them into the text. The book has all the trappings of a folktale without actually being one. You’d be forgiven, then, for forgetting that it isn’t a classic tale handed down from mother to child for generations. From that first sentence (“No one in the town of Bonnyripple ever kept a grudge. No one, that is, except Old Cornelius, the Grudge Keeper”) to the last, the book has a delightful tone and a complete, satisfying structure.
It wasn’t that I was necessarily unaware of artist Eliza Wheeler. I’d seen her nice work on Miss Maple's Seeds and it was entirely charming. For this book, Wheeler pulls out her usual roster of dip pens, Indian ink, and watercolor. The book itself is painted in a soft green/gold glow, like the pages have a slightly yellowed tinge to them. Wheeler also does a darn good job of distinguishing amongst the characters. Read the book twice and suddenly you get a sense of their personalities. Read it a third time and you even begin to get a sense of the layout of the village itself. No small feat. And I don’t know if author Mara Rockliff necessarily envisioned that her goat and cat would have narratives of their own, but that’s what Wheeler gave them. Besides, you’d have to have a pretty cold heart not to love a goat in a top hat. All he needs is a monocle and he’d be the talk of the town.
Folktales will always have a place in the realm of children’s literature. They remain the number one most efficient way to dole out lessons to the kiddies without sounding like you’re trying to teach them something. But new folktales are always welcome and that’s precisely what The Grudge Keeper really is. Timely in its telling, Rockliff and Wheeler together manage to make a book that feels simultaneously fresh and classic all in one go. Beautifully rendered and written, there’s nothing begrudging in my praise of this work. If you want something that could be read by countless generations of kids thanks to its classic feel, this little title has your number. Sublime.
For ages 4-7.
April 11, 2014
One word. Aww. This adorable little book teaches children the importance of not keeping grudges. The illustrations were beautiful and the story flowed nicely. My only concern was that the ebook formatting was off. Other than that, loved this book and would definitely recommend for a young child, especially if they have siblings!
Note: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
Note: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
July 30, 2015
Eliza wheeler is one of my all time favorite illustrators. Such a master of the pen and ink! She brings so much life and movement in her art. I also quite enjoyed all the play on words and great use of vocabulary for my young listeners.
July 22, 2014
In the little town of Bonnyripple when folks have a grudge, or a tiff, or a bone to pick, they take it to the Grudge Keeper. Cornelius stores all the pieces of paper with everyone's various gripes over the years until one day the wind rises and all the complaints get whipped around and mixed up, burying the Grudge Keeper. Villagers rise to the occasion and rescue him, discovering in the process that the grudges they had been so carefully preserving were not all that important after all. This sounds preachy, but the true joy of this book is that it isn't. Clever wordplay abounds and the author is never afraid to use a big word if it's just right. The moral is clear, but subtle, making this a terrific discussion-starter. Better than that, however, are the multiple curriculum tie-ins possible with this book. Studying synonyms? This book is perfect. Going to introduce the thesaurus? Hey, here you go! Want to introduce internet sites on quotations? Have the students look up gossip, rumors, friendship, and forgiveness. The entire time I was reading this book I was thinking how I could use it with a class. This is a prize. Eliza Wheeler's detailed and expressive watercolor and ink illustrations suit the text perfectly and readers will delight in seeing how grudge-holding sour faces can be changed with forgiveness, and a smile. It merits a place in every collection.
January 31, 2016
I've read enough of these kinds of stories now to wonder if townspeople are just real jerks the world over.
Anyhow, in this particular town, whenever someone has a problem with someone else they write it down and give it to the town's Grudge Keeper. Of course the poor man is inundated with little scrolls. Eventually the townsfolk realize that saving up all their angst at each other is bad and everyone lives happily ever after.
Illustrations are fun!
Anyhow, in this particular town, whenever someone has a problem with someone else they write it down and give it to the town's Grudge Keeper. Of course the poor man is inundated with little scrolls. Eventually the townsfolk realize that saving up all their angst at each other is bad and everyone lives happily ever after.
Illustrations are fun!
June 5, 2023
A little too earnest, but the pictures and wordplay (and ethnic diversity) are so much fun, I have to round up from 3.5.
(Pahrump)
---
reread. Still not sure just how the reformation happened, that Cornelius no longer had to store and organize the grudges in his cottage and instead everyone is magically instantly forgiving. But I'll let my earlier rating stand, because I want so desperately for it to be believable that people can learn to be patient and forgiving....
(Pahrump)
---
reread. Still not sure just how the reformation happened, that Cornelius no longer had to store and organize the grudges in his cottage and instead everyone is magically instantly forgiving. But I'll let my earlier rating stand, because I want so desperately for it to be believable that people can learn to be patient and forgiving....
August 2, 2014
The Grudge Keeper by Mara Rockliff, illustrated by Eliza Wheeler – so touching. Loved the community, the story, the conclusion.
July 30, 2015
The art was enchanting. The word choice was absolutely fun. I loved it, and would someday like to own it. My girls learned new words for being mad at each other which makes me laugh.
December 13, 2013
Nice reminder that holding grudges can be ridiculous.
January 19, 2024
For more bookish opinions, visit my blog: Craft-Cycle
3.5 stars
A really sweet story about forgiveness and friendship. No one in Bonnyripple ever kept a grudge except Cornelius, the Grudge Keeper, a sort of archivist of the townspeople's complaints about one another. When a storm hits the town, the people see just how much space all their grudges take up.
I'm a sucker for wordplay and this one did not disappoint. All the turns of phrases were so fun.
I loved the message of how focusing only on the negative and minor inconveniences can get in the way of possible friendships and relationships. The townspeople's grudges prevented them from connecting with one another. Once they were able to let them go, they could empathize with one another and come together as a community.
The artwork is absolutely stunning. I loved all the details and the physical manifestations of all the grudges.
A lovely read for talking about figurative language, empathy, and forgiveness.
3.5 stars
A really sweet story about forgiveness and friendship. No one in Bonnyripple ever kept a grudge except Cornelius, the Grudge Keeper, a sort of archivist of the townspeople's complaints about one another. When a storm hits the town, the people see just how much space all their grudges take up.
I'm a sucker for wordplay and this one did not disappoint. All the turns of phrases were so fun.
I loved the message of how focusing only on the negative and minor inconveniences can get in the way of possible friendships and relationships. The townspeople's grudges prevented them from connecting with one another. Once they were able to let them go, they could empathize with one another and come together as a community.
The artwork is absolutely stunning. I loved all the details and the physical manifestations of all the grudges.
A lovely read for talking about figurative language, empathy, and forgiveness.
October 18, 2018
A masterclass in figurative language! This books is so much fun to read as an adult but as an educator I also love reading it to my middle-grade kids. Not only is the language engaging and playful but the characters are well rounded and offer ample content for discussion (how we treat others, how we can better ourselves, interpersonal conflict resolution). Plus the illustrations are absolutely marvelous.
July 13, 2020
I loved this book, but I think it went right over the head of my three year old, who clearly doesn’t know what grudges are yet. It was quite a sophisticated topic of a picture book, I thought - I liked the idea of a Grudge Keeper, and how they all in the end learned not to hold grudges after all and get along and be happy instead :-). Quite a good message, and I liked the funny illustrations too!
November 14, 2022
Poor old Cornelius is the Grudge Keeper of Bonnyripple, tasked with holding all the paper filled with grudges so the town can get along. One day, a wind blows them all around, reminding the town of all their fights and quibbles, causing the townsfolk to go to the Grudge Keeper to fix it. This book is full of whimsy, silliness, and lessons on learning to just let some things go so you can embrace the ones around you.
February 11, 2023
This was a very enjoyable book to read! I loved tat the characters were able to manage their grudges and gripes on their own so that Mr. Cornelius could live his life.
As someone who has been "The Grudge Keeper" I understood how Mr. Cornelius could have felt overwhelmed, trapped, and duty bound to keep everything in order and the town happy but that wasn't his responsability and the book shows that.
I would love to incorperate this into a storytime for gradeschool kids!
As someone who has been "The Grudge Keeper" I understood how Mr. Cornelius could have felt overwhelmed, trapped, and duty bound to keep everything in order and the town happy but that wasn't his responsability and the book shows that.
I would love to incorperate this into a storytime for gradeschool kids!
November 14, 2017
Genre: Fiction Picture book
Unique Feature: The idea that just one man holds all of the townspeople's grudges portrays a man trying to play God and file all the grudges away so that the people don't have to deal with them. Read this book to decide for yourself, if it is one you love or only care for.
Grade level suggested: 3-4
Unique Feature: The idea that just one man holds all of the townspeople's grudges portrays a man trying to play God and file all the grudges away so that the people don't have to deal with them. Read this book to decide for yourself, if it is one you love or only care for.
Grade level suggested: 3-4
July 6, 2018
No one in the town of Bonnyripple kept a grudge, except Cornelius, the Grudge Keeper. All the town folks took their grudges to Cornelius to sort them, and keep in his cottage. A storm comes along, and all the grudges get mixed up bringing the town folk together, and they soon discover just how well they all got along, since no one had any grudges after they were all sorted out, and disposed of.
January 22, 2019
This story is beautiful in its vocabulary, illustrations, and message. A town that used to hold all of their grudges in the Grudgekeeper's cottage comes together after all of their grudges are tossed about in a storm, and the unity and change that takes place are inspiring. This would make a great read aloud to teach the value of releasing grudges and coming together.
October 5, 2020
This book is a great representation of what happens when people keep grudges. The grudges keep building up until something like a windstorm comes along and blows all of the grudges everywhere. I would love to use this book to show my students that the best way to handle a dispute is by talking with one another so that no grudges are held.
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October 30, 2025I highly recommend The Grudge Keeper for classroom libraries, circle time, or family literacy nights. Its meaningful message, engaging storytelling, and vivid illustrations make it a valuable tool for teaching young learners about the impact of emotions, the power of forgiveness, and the importance of nurturing positive relationships.
November 15, 2018
Pictures enhance text. (Style was a little too 'old-timey' for my tastes but definitely worked & expressive.) Text & pictures work together. Text builds suspense (even for me, an adult). Great word choices & vocabulary development. Very nice graphic design. Well done. Picture book. Ages 4+
October 29, 2020
This was cute. It doesn't totally explain why the people decided to let all of their grudges go and never keep them again, but it is really sweet, and I love the illustrations! Eliza Wheeler is one of our new favorite illustrators for children's books!
January 25, 2020
The story is more four stars for me, but man I love Eliza Wheeler's illustrations!
December 4, 2020
An excellent picture book! Fun, funny, and a good lesson that's not too on-the-nose.
June 16, 2021
Led to a good discussion
September 20, 2021
A good conversation starter about the importance of forgiveness. The story and some of the vocabulary did require some explanation for my child (what child knows the word imbroglios?).
February 13, 2022
Delightful artwork and an enriching story! A book worth internalizing!
February 24, 2022
Great story!
April 13, 2022
The story of a town where all grudges are kept by one man in his house. What happens when a crazy wind gets hold of them? Lots of good vocabulary
August 31, 2022
This was 5 stars for me until the end. It was *too* unbelievable that everyone was suddenly all happy and changing their natures instantaneously. Love the concept and the illustrations though.
December 9, 2022
It would have been better had the old man been the one who held the grudges and learned to let them go by the end. I did like some of the higher-level words the author used.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews