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Grumpy Bird
The debut book of Jeremy Tankard's high-flying Bird series! Bird wakes up feeling grumpy. Too grumpy to eat or play -- too grumpy even to fly. "Looks like I'm walking today," says Bird. He walks past Sheep, who offers to keep him company. He walks past Rabbit, who also could use a walk. Raccoon, Beaver, and Fox join in, too. Before he knows it, a little exercise and companionship help Bird shake his bad mood. Praised by the Wall Street Journal as "comic perfection," this winsome, refreshingly original picture book is sure to help kids (and grown-ups) giggle away their grumpies, too! Bird's im peck ably crafted, hilarious melodramas continue in the Grumpy Bird board book, Boo Hoo Bird , Hungry Bird , and coming in 2018, Sleepy Bird .
32 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2007
16 people are currently reading
1233 people want to read
About the author
Jeremy Tankard
26 books78 followersI get ideas by watching and listening all the time. I also keep a sketchbook and am constantly doodling and creating characters," Jeremy Tankard says. Growing up in Cape Town, South Africa, Columbia, South Carolina, Hazard, Kentucky, and finally Knoxville, Tennessee Jeremy Tankard, the son of a story telling father and a mother who oversaw libraries, was always surrounded by stories and inspiration for them.
"When I was young my dad used to tell my brother and me stories in order to keep us from complaining during long walks in the mountains. Some of the stories were true, others were not; and as for the rest of them, we still don't know whether to believe them or not." Jeremy Tankard started writing and illustrating when he was still a child, despite his limited spelling capabilities. The early ones featured a pig family who had a series of misadventures. The only words in the books were ‘Hallo’, ‘HALP!’, and ‘Bye bye’.
After studying drawing and printmaking at the Alberta College of Art and Design, Jeremy Tankard embarked on a career as an illustrator, his work appearing in magazines and ad campaigns including Time, The New York Times, Guitar Player, and The Boston Globe. Armed with his skills as an illustrator and his new and improved vocabulary, Jeremy Tankard returned to his real love: telling stories.
Jeremy Tankard is the author of GRUMPY BIRD for which he was nominated for the for outstanding children’s book illustration. His most recent book, ME HUNGRY! is about a Stone Age boy in search of a snack. Jeremy Tankard lives in Toronto with his wife, Heather, and young daughter, Hermione, where he dabbles in music, loves Indian cooking and skateboards.
"When I was young my dad used to tell my brother and me stories in order to keep us from complaining during long walks in the mountains. Some of the stories were true, others were not; and as for the rest of them, we still don't know whether to believe them or not." Jeremy Tankard started writing and illustrating when he was still a child, despite his limited spelling capabilities. The early ones featured a pig family who had a series of misadventures. The only words in the books were ‘Hallo’, ‘HALP!’, and ‘Bye bye’.
After studying drawing and printmaking at the Alberta College of Art and Design, Jeremy Tankard embarked on a career as an illustrator, his work appearing in magazines and ad campaigns including Time, The New York Times, Guitar Player, and The Boston Globe. Armed with his skills as an illustrator and his new and improved vocabulary, Jeremy Tankard returned to his real love: telling stories.
Jeremy Tankard is the author of GRUMPY BIRD for which he was nominated for the for outstanding children’s book illustration. His most recent book, ME HUNGRY! is about a Stone Age boy in search of a snack. Jeremy Tankard lives in Toronto with his wife, Heather, and young daughter, Hermione, where he dabbles in music, loves Indian cooking and skateboards.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 315 reviews
July 1, 2017
After waking up on the wrong side of the nest, Bird proceeds to walk it off. However, all his friends want to be friendly and soon join the queue. When Bird realises what is going on, and that his grumpy attitude has not tainted his friends, he begins to play games, only to see his 'flock' following suit. Soon, anger seems to be the last thing on his mind. Neo laughed and remembered reading this in Reading Circle once, knowing that he, too, gets grumpy too. He prefers not to be copied or followed, but does come around eventually.
October 15, 2007
It happens. One day you wake up on the wrong side of the bed or, in this particular case, nest. When Bird woke up one day he was, not to put too fine a point on it, grumpy. With grumpiness comes a kind of ennui so, without eating, playing, or flying, Bird goes for a walk. If he was hoping for solitude, though, this probably wasn't the best plan. As Bird meets up with various friends they all join him for his stroll. First Sheep. Then Rabbit. Then Raccoon. By the time Beaver and Fox join the fun the whole group has taken on the appearance of a rather low-key parade. Slowly Bird realizes that what he does (like lifting a leg or jumping) the others do too. Cheered by this and no longer grumpy, Bird encourages everyone to join him at his home for a snack. The final shot in the book is of a remarkably peppy Bird offering an enormous worm to his somewhat dumbstruck following.
This book is a two-parter charmer. Part one is the choice of wording and part two the illustrations. In terms of readaloud possibilities, Tankard knows how to use the rule of basic repetition and make it familiar but increasingly funny as the story continues. When Bird does his walking he is asked over and over what he's up to by the other animals. The first time is a terse, "Walking". The second is a pointed, "I'm walking . . . It's no fun." With each additional animal Bird gets more and more frustrated until he's finally saying, "WHY DOES EVERYONE WANT TO KNOW WHAT I'M DOING?! . . . I'm just walking, okay?" As any person who has ever read to a large group of kids knows, many books work well one-on-one, but only a few books work with large groups. Because Tankard's book sets up all kinds of possibilities in terms of voice and increasing volume, I can't wait until I get another group of kids in my library so that I can break out Bird's snarky bon mot, "Let me give you a hint . . . You do it by placing one foot in front of the other."
And of course there's the art. If Jeremy Tankard has taught us anything today it's that bags under eyes are comedic gold. There's not a man, woman, or child alive today that can't relate to the glower firmly affixed to Bird's face as he grumbles through his day. His white tennis shoes with the red sides are just the frosting on the cake in terms of personal appearance. Consider the finer details of Tankard's art too, while you're at it. The mix of computer graphics and good old-fashioned pen and inks is heady. The very first spread after the title page shows full stars of a variety of shapes and sizes hanging in a sky where an orange sun has recently popped up in the lower right-hand corner. Bird has a single eye open and there's a lovely play of soft dewy dawn light flickering across his sorely aggrieved mug. As the book continues, clearly cartoonish elements mix with smudges, photographs, and eye-popping primary colors. Characters come onto the scene in both the foreground and background, and the result is that even as the story continues at a smart consistent pace, the eye gets to hop to and fro, back and forth, around a landscape of new animals and images. And though every animal in this book is "cute" in a basic sense, it wouldn't surprise me one jot if I learned that Mr. Tankard was a whiz on the alternative comics scene. His bunny is adorable but tweak it a little and consider how terrifying it could be with a twist of the pen here and there.
As any librarian or bookseller will tell you, grumpiness sells. Funny grumpiness, anyway. "Grumpy Bird" has the potential to be a great companion to Mrs. Biddlebox by Linda Smith or even Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst. It's a standout title that I'm hoping has a slow burn. A low-key buzz is already surrounding it. As more and more children are introduced to its charm, I hope we begin to see a real grassroots effort to place "Grumpy Bird" in the picture book canon where it so clearly deserves to rest. A do-not-miss title.
This book is a two-parter charmer. Part one is the choice of wording and part two the illustrations. In terms of readaloud possibilities, Tankard knows how to use the rule of basic repetition and make it familiar but increasingly funny as the story continues. When Bird does his walking he is asked over and over what he's up to by the other animals. The first time is a terse, "Walking". The second is a pointed, "I'm walking . . . It's no fun." With each additional animal Bird gets more and more frustrated until he's finally saying, "WHY DOES EVERYONE WANT TO KNOW WHAT I'M DOING?! . . . I'm just walking, okay?" As any person who has ever read to a large group of kids knows, many books work well one-on-one, but only a few books work with large groups. Because Tankard's book sets up all kinds of possibilities in terms of voice and increasing volume, I can't wait until I get another group of kids in my library so that I can break out Bird's snarky bon mot, "Let me give you a hint . . . You do it by placing one foot in front of the other."
And of course there's the art. If Jeremy Tankard has taught us anything today it's that bags under eyes are comedic gold. There's not a man, woman, or child alive today that can't relate to the glower firmly affixed to Bird's face as he grumbles through his day. His white tennis shoes with the red sides are just the frosting on the cake in terms of personal appearance. Consider the finer details of Tankard's art too, while you're at it. The mix of computer graphics and good old-fashioned pen and inks is heady. The very first spread after the title page shows full stars of a variety of shapes and sizes hanging in a sky where an orange sun has recently popped up in the lower right-hand corner. Bird has a single eye open and there's a lovely play of soft dewy dawn light flickering across his sorely aggrieved mug. As the book continues, clearly cartoonish elements mix with smudges, photographs, and eye-popping primary colors. Characters come onto the scene in both the foreground and background, and the result is that even as the story continues at a smart consistent pace, the eye gets to hop to and fro, back and forth, around a landscape of new animals and images. And though every animal in this book is "cute" in a basic sense, it wouldn't surprise me one jot if I learned that Mr. Tankard was a whiz on the alternative comics scene. His bunny is adorable but tweak it a little and consider how terrifying it could be with a twist of the pen here and there.
As any librarian or bookseller will tell you, grumpiness sells. Funny grumpiness, anyway. "Grumpy Bird" has the potential to be a great companion to Mrs. Biddlebox by Linda Smith or even Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst. It's a standout title that I'm hoping has a slow burn. A low-key buzz is already surrounding it. As more and more children are introduced to its charm, I hope we begin to see a real grassroots effort to place "Grumpy Bird" in the picture book canon where it so clearly deserves to rest. A do-not-miss title.
September 25, 2016
Yeah, fine, but what about those of us who are grumpy because we *don't* have companions?! Hmpf.
March 31, 2019
I probably should've read this book first. But I read Hungry Bird, which solidified in my mind a raging case of avian narcissistic personality disorder. That influenced my reading of Grumpy Bird... and not for the better.
Bird wakes up grumpy. Too grumpy to fly. So he goes for a walk (or he just goes walking about; I don't even know where he's going). Each of his friends asks him what he's doing, and then they join him. Soon he's got them all following him, which is fine. But then he realizes they're following him, and that he can manipulate them by doing stuff and having them copy it. After reading about his behaviour in Hungry Bird, this just made me uncomfortable.
He does take all of his friends back to his nest at the end for a snack, but by then I wasn't enjoying the story anymore. Taken together, these books model some really questionable behaviour. Manipulation, selfishness, and rudeness in a character like this might simply be funny to an adult... but I sure wouldn't want my kids reading about this feathered jerk and imitating his behaviour.
Bird wakes up grumpy. Too grumpy to fly. So he goes for a walk (or he just goes walking about; I don't even know where he's going). Each of his friends asks him what he's doing, and then they join him. Soon he's got them all following him, which is fine. But then he realizes they're following him, and that he can manipulate them by doing stuff and having them copy it. After reading about his behaviour in Hungry Bird, this just made me uncomfortable.
He does take all of his friends back to his nest at the end for a snack, but by then I wasn't enjoying the story anymore. Taken together, these books model some really questionable behaviour. Manipulation, selfishness, and rudeness in a character like this might simply be funny to an adult... but I sure wouldn't want my kids reading about this feathered jerk and imitating his behaviour.
August 26, 2009
The story is just so-so and pretty predictable (a grumpy bird becomes un-grumpy) but the illustrations are SO funny! I couldn't help laughing. Not destined to become a favorite, but definitely recommended if you ever feel like Grumpy Bird looks on the cover! :-0
October 19, 2022
It made me laugh 🤣😂
July 26, 2017
Very cute book, but I'm concerned that Grumpy Bird is a warlock, since all of the other animals just start flying. Nothing wrong with that, it just surprised me... XD
September 23, 2017
Really fun book. Bird is too grumpy to fly. All his animal friends happily go on a walk with bird. None of them comment on bird being grumpy, they just cheerfully follow him. Eventually, bird 'accidentally' exercises when he realizes his friends will do what he does, like stand on one foot. The exercise makes him forget he's grumpy. Great message.
Storytime 9/21: ***** -- They loved this book. They thought bird was funny. We had fun looking at all the animals -- sheep, beaver, bunny, etc. -- and thinking about what noises they make. (Beaver: hit the ground behind you with your palm/tail.) The one-year-old in the group re-"read" the entire book as soon as it was over.
Storytime 9/21: ***** -- They loved this book. They thought bird was funny. We had fun looking at all the animals -- sheep, beaver, bunny, etc. -- and thinking about what noises they make. (Beaver: hit the ground behind you with your palm/tail.) The one-year-old in the group re-"read" the entire book as soon as it was over.
August 1, 2016
It just so happens that I was pretty grumpy before sitting down with our girls to read this book. I was upset over some minor transgression they had made and I was frustrated.
So when they handed me this book, I just had to crack a smile. And then I read it with a gusto that I didn't know I had inside me. I channeled my inner Grumpy Bird and went with his irritation. So, it came as no surprise when I found that I wasn't so grumpy anymore once we finished the book.
No more grumpy mama...priceless. I think our girls need to have a copy of this one handy - just in case.
The illustrations are so colorful and charming and I love the expressions on the animals faces. Overall, this is a short and entertaining book to read aloud, but even more useful if there's a grump in the room.
We will certainly look for Boo Hoo Bird, the sequel to this tale, at our local library.
So when they handed me this book, I just had to crack a smile. And then I read it with a gusto that I didn't know I had inside me. I channeled my inner Grumpy Bird and went with his irritation. So, it came as no surprise when I found that I wasn't so grumpy anymore once we finished the book.
No more grumpy mama...priceless. I think our girls need to have a copy of this one handy - just in case.
The illustrations are so colorful and charming and I love the expressions on the animals faces. Overall, this is a short and entertaining book to read aloud, but even more useful if there's a grump in the room.
We will certainly look for Boo Hoo Bird, the sequel to this tale, at our local library.
March 7, 2015
A fun book on its own but after a few reads you decide to change "walking" to "farting" (complete with sound effects) and now your young ones are hysterically laughing and there's no way you can't give this book 5-stars now for the joy it brought.
(Note to self: see if there's already a silly-farting book on the market and if there's not - get to writing it. I'll make a mint and be able to retire before turning 45.)
(Note to self: see if there's already a silly-farting book on the market and if there's not - get to writing it. I'll make a mint and be able to retire before turning 45.)
March 18, 2020
"When Bird woke up, he was grumpy. He was too grumpy to eat. He was too grumpy to play. In fact, he was too grumpy to fly. 'Looks like I'm walking today,' said Bird." And walk he does, encountering a succession of friends, each of whom join him on his stroll. Will Bird stay grumpy, despite his many cheerful followers, or will his sense of fun assert itself...?
Jeremy's Tankard's debut picture-book, Grumpy Bird offers an entertaining look at an experience we have all had, at one time or another. Sometimes we're grumpy for no good reason, and our mood has to run its course. I appreciated the fact that Bird's friends didn't try to cheer him up, that they simply accompanied him on his journey. That made the conclusion, in which Bird rediscovers his will to fly, all the more satisfying. The bright illustrations are eye-catching, and will hold young readers' attention. All in all, I found this an appealing little book, and intend to seek out the next - Boo Hoo Bird .
Jeremy's Tankard's debut picture-book, Grumpy Bird offers an entertaining look at an experience we have all had, at one time or another. Sometimes we're grumpy for no good reason, and our mood has to run its course. I appreciated the fact that Bird's friends didn't try to cheer him up, that they simply accompanied him on his journey. That made the conclusion, in which Bird rediscovers his will to fly, all the more satisfying. The bright illustrations are eye-catching, and will hold young readers' attention. All in all, I found this an appealing little book, and intend to seek out the next - Boo Hoo Bird .
January 13, 2018
Never saw someone so cute, even when they were grumpy :D
Here's where you can find out how this bird looked adorable.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkvi6...
Here's where you can find out how this bird looked adorable.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkvi6...
September 3, 2014
Bird is a tiny version of me, except that he has better hair and can fly. So when he wakes up too grumpy to do anything but go for a walk and show his mild disdain for all life by resisting his friends' attempts to cheer him up, I am right there with him.
I wish I could report that the book has a happy ending where his friends realize the folly of the whole "cheering people up" philosophy, crawl back into their grubby holes and keep their happy thoughts to themselves. But being a children's book and all, someone's bound to have an epiphany and snap out of a perfectly good funk for no reason.
So be warned: Grumpy Bird will make you laugh (possibly even giggle in an unbecoming way), probably will charm you with its simple yet comically expressive critters and, worst of all, might spirit away the pervasive gloom that hovers over you like a fusty black cloud of doom. And you wouldn't want that, would you?
I wish I could report that the book has a happy ending where his friends realize the folly of the whole "cheering people up" philosophy, crawl back into their grubby holes and keep their happy thoughts to themselves. But being a children's book and all, someone's bound to have an epiphany and snap out of a perfectly good funk for no reason.
So be warned: Grumpy Bird will make you laugh (possibly even giggle in an unbecoming way), probably will charm you with its simple yet comically expressive critters and, worst of all, might spirit away the pervasive gloom that hovers over you like a fusty black cloud of doom. And you wouldn't want that, would you?
December 31, 2012
So good.
Hilarious story of just that, a grumpy bird.
With friends.
Such a gentle way of coaxing away a bad mood.
Hilarious story of just that, a grumpy bird.
With friends.
Such a gentle way of coaxing away a bad mood.
January 25, 2018
A book guaranteed to bring a smile to every face during read-aloud. Great for understanding emotions and what they look like and techniques to help change emotions.
June 19, 2018
This book made me grumpy. I just wanted to throw it on the floor which I did ... A few times.
December 22, 2013
4 stars from me, but easily 5 stars from my family. Especially from our 3 y/o boy, who LOVES that little "Grumpy Bird".
This is a well-reviewed, popular book so I'll keep this simple. The text is minimal but SO fun to read aloud. You get to do different voices for each little critter who crosses grumpy bird's path. And, you get to be all gruff and annoyed when reading grumpy bird's words, which is a nice change from most books where the characters are generally happy.
The art is big, bright and bold. It's done with a paintbrush style and the edge-to-edge double page spreads almost appear to be collages since all the animals and backgrounds look similar but aren't illustrated exactly the same. All the big double page spreads, are the most unique part of the illustrations. There is color everywhere! No white space and no single page images. Everything is double page and there's splashes of art all over the place. This is pretty cool since white space and minimalist art are usually so popular.
For us, the absolute best part about this book is acting it out live! One person gets to be grumpy bird and the rest of us are the various animals. Grumpy bird walks around, acts annoyed and we each follow along. It's such fun! Any book that's memorable enough to be brought to life is a major hit in our household.
This book is especially perfect for any parents who need to be reminded that it's OK to be grumpy once and while. As long as they remember that their friends and family will always be there to pull them through.
This is a well-reviewed, popular book so I'll keep this simple. The text is minimal but SO fun to read aloud. You get to do different voices for each little critter who crosses grumpy bird's path. And, you get to be all gruff and annoyed when reading grumpy bird's words, which is a nice change from most books where the characters are generally happy.
The art is big, bright and bold. It's done with a paintbrush style and the edge-to-edge double page spreads almost appear to be collages since all the animals and backgrounds look similar but aren't illustrated exactly the same. All the big double page spreads, are the most unique part of the illustrations. There is color everywhere! No white space and no single page images. Everything is double page and there's splashes of art all over the place. This is pretty cool since white space and minimalist art are usually so popular.
For us, the absolute best part about this book is acting it out live! One person gets to be grumpy bird and the rest of us are the various animals. Grumpy bird walks around, acts annoyed and we each follow along. It's such fun! Any book that's memorable enough to be brought to life is a major hit in our household.
This book is especially perfect for any parents who need to be reminded that it's OK to be grumpy once and while. As long as they remember that their friends and family will always be there to pull them through.
August 11, 2013
All ages
Grumpy bird wakes up grumpy and decides to take a walk. On his walk different animal friends decide that they want to take a walk too and follow grumpy bird. Grumpy bird notices that they are doing whatever he does so he deicdes to have some fun and have them stand on one leg and jump around. Grumpy bird realizes that this is fun and that he is no longer grumpy. He leads his animal friends back to his nest for a snack.
This would be good for a bird themed story time. You could also read the book and then play a game of Simon says to go with the game played in the book.
Grumpy bird wakes up grumpy and decides to take a walk. On his walk different animal friends decide that they want to take a walk too and follow grumpy bird. Grumpy bird notices that they are doing whatever he does so he deicdes to have some fun and have them stand on one leg and jump around. Grumpy bird realizes that this is fun and that he is no longer grumpy. He leads his animal friends back to his nest for a snack.
This would be good for a bird themed story time. You could also read the book and then play a game of Simon says to go with the game played in the book.
February 25, 2014
Everyone wakes up Grumpy on occassion. Bird is so grumpy that he can't eat, play, or fly. He is left with walking. Along his way, he meets up with several animals. Each asks what he is doing. Each time, he gets a little more grumpy. His friends aren't detered by this and decide to walk with him. Once he realizes they all do exactly what he does, he begins to have fun and forgets all about being grumpy. Wonderful story of friendship.
October 6, 2015
Grumpy bird is VERY GRUMPY. His friends don't seem to mind - and in the end it's all good. It can be a bit simple, but the pictures are fantastic (so grumpy, bird!), and it works well with my jammie storytime crowd. Sometimes we're all a bit grumpy when we get up, no?
August 12, 2008
This book cracks me up! The little kids I've shared it with in the library also seem to like it, so that's good too.
May 2, 2013
Thank you Beth for this suggestion and it is adorably you :)
September 14, 2022
Bird wakes up in a grump mood and decides he is to grumpy to play, eat , or fly so he decided to walk. While he is walking Bird walks past other animals and they all decide to walk with bird. After awhile Bird realizes that all of the other animals are doing exactly what Bird does and he thought it was fun. He forgets he is grumpy so he decides to tell everyone to fly back to his nest for a snack and that is what they did.
I liked grumpy bird. I think it was very fun and lighthearted. It is a good book for beginner readers because the sentences are not to long. I did not love the illustrations though, I wish they were a little more detailed.
I think grumpy bird is a good book to teach that even though sometimes we are not in the best mood being around friends can make it better. I think this book would be fun to use in a classroom and play " Bird says" after, like Simon says. I think the kids would enjoy getting to take turns being Bird.
I liked grumpy bird. I think it was very fun and lighthearted. It is a good book for beginner readers because the sentences are not to long. I did not love the illustrations though, I wish they were a little more detailed.
I think grumpy bird is a good book to teach that even though sometimes we are not in the best mood being around friends can make it better. I think this book would be fun to use in a classroom and play " Bird says" after, like Simon says. I think the kids would enjoy getting to take turns being Bird.
November 11, 2025
Where do I begin. Grumpy bird is a thrilling a saga where the main character Grumpy bird encounters a whole host of forest dwelling friends. But here is where it gets weird. Most of the forest friends are invited, however by page 4-6 or so beaver is....just.....THERE! No invitation no back story, just walking along like he owns the place RUDE! In addition to this there is a peculiar mystery component where fox or shall I say imposter fox shows up. On page 3, fox clearly has a black tail marking at the end. By the final page, fox has a red tail marking. The reader is either meant to believe that foxes tails magically change colors. OR we have a serious mystery going on here where original fox was clearly removed from the group and replaced by this imposter on the back cover. The moral of the story is buy more worms for your party. Which is a good lesson if your the type thats into eating worms.
January 23, 2019
This was a hit at Toddler Storytime last week! The letter of the day was B, and we also talked a lot about feelings. I don't usually do themes, but the two books I chose for the storytime were perfect! I asked the toddlers if they had ever felt grumpy before. Many nodded their heads and said yes! The kids enjoyed Bird's grumpiness. At the end, we talked about how nice it was for Bird's friends to see how grumpy he was, and to stick with him until he started to feel better. I also mentioned that sometimes people want to be left alone when they are upset, and that it is important to ask our friends if it was okay for them to stay or not, and to respect their wishes. Loved this book, and will definitely use it again!
Read
February 6, 2020This book is about a bird that wakes up grumpy. The bird is so grumpy he won't even fly so instead he takes a walk. As he is walking he runs into a bunch of different animals that decide to walk with him. He notices what is going on and he cheers up and flies with the other animals back to his nest.
This book was alright. It wasn't my favorite but it wasn't bad. The illustrations are pretty cool and look like they were sketched and painted. The message of the book was good but again, it wasn't my favorite book.
This book could be used to teach kids to notice others in a bad mood and help. Like the other animals helped the bird be happy again, the kids could learn that their attitudes towards other people can help them be happy.
This book was alright. It wasn't my favorite but it wasn't bad. The illustrations are pretty cool and look like they were sketched and painted. The message of the book was good but again, it wasn't my favorite book.
This book could be used to teach kids to notice others in a bad mood and help. Like the other animals helped the bird be happy again, the kids could learn that their attitudes towards other people can help them be happy.
June 10, 2018
Grumpy Bird is a cute little story about a bird that woke up on the wrong side of the nest. Bird decided to take a walk and shake off his grumps. Along his walk, although he hopes to be alone, his friends join in. And soon enough he is no longer grumpy anymore. This book is on the younger side of the spectrum but i still belive it to be teachable in the same text set as the other two. This book has simple meaning but gives a lot of space for kids to think on what the right ways are to cope with anger and the wrong ways to cope with anger are. Also maybe trying out some of the strategies that bird used to cope with their anger the next time they feel like that.
November 20, 2025
A child's board book I read in a medical waiting room. It has engaging, colorful pictures.
It's simplistic, as a child's story should be, about how the grumpy bird's friends cheer him up by spending time with him and mimicing him.
I envision that might work with children, but probably not grumpy adults. One reviewer commented that some readers are grumpy because they don't have friends.
Another reviewer commented that grumpy bird is manipulative, selfish and rude, possibly narcissistic. I thought, honestly, that the other animals knew that grumpy bird was manipulating them and didn't care in something so minor.
It's simplistic, as a child's story should be, about how the grumpy bird's friends cheer him up by spending time with him and mimicing him.
I envision that might work with children, but probably not grumpy adults. One reviewer commented that some readers are grumpy because they don't have friends.
Another reviewer commented that grumpy bird is manipulative, selfish and rude, possibly narcissistic. I thought, honestly, that the other animals knew that grumpy bird was manipulating them and didn't care in something so minor.
October 1, 2019
Bird wakes up one day grumpy, too grumpy to fly. So, he goes for a walk. As he walks, his friends join him one-by-one. Eventually, hilarity ensues. I particularly enjoyed the illustrations, and I love the message that when you're grumpy exercise can help. The secondary message that when you're grumpy friends just being there, not even necessarily doing anything specific, can help is just as powerful! Definitely a good group read aloud. I would have given it five stars but the ending is just weird.
March 8, 2022
The illustrations in this book are bright and colorful. They are simple in design but this book it works really well. Cassie really loved looking at the pictures and giggling at the personality of Grumpy Bird. I loved this book as everyone tries to make him happy but with no luck. Then in the end he finds a way to make him happy. This book is adorable and talks about how doing things can help you not be so grumpy in life. My kids really enjoyed this book and we can't wait to read it again.
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