Absolutely Positively Alexander: The Complete Stories (by Judith Viorst)

Sometimes, bad things happen--and they happen to Alexander a lot! First, he has a really rotten day, then he gets rich for a day but ends up with just bus tokens, and finally his parents make him move to a new house. Anyone who's ever had a day they'd rather forget will love this cleverly illustrated, laugh-out-loud trilogy.

Just about any elementary school-age child, at one time or another, has had at least one horrible day, has misspent money that should have been saved, and was forced to do something against his or her will -- like a move to a new house. And these stories are written from the viewpoint of a young boy named Alexander who endures it all. The illustrations, by Ray Cruz and Robin Preiss Glasser, are black-on-white, cross-hatched line drawings with remarkable realism and detail that capture Alexander's emotions and serve the stories' humorous themes well. When they were read to a group of 6- to 8-year-olds, it was hard to tell who was having more fun, the adult reader or the audience of giggling kids.

Author: Judith Viorst
Illustrator: Ray Cruz, Robin Preiss Glasser
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication date: January 1, 1997
Number of pages: 96
Hardcover price: $21.95