Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Summary: These mostly humorous poems are divided into eleven sections, such as How Are You Feeling Today?; School Stuff; About the Family; Home and Away; and Friends and Other People. As the title suggests, there are poems about glad topics, like a perfect day, home, and a fun “arithmetrick”, and others about mad/sad topics, like divorce or an ex-best friend. Black, white, and blue illustrations are on every page. 112 pages; grades 1-4.
Pros: Published a week after Judith Viorst’s 85th birthday, this fun collection shows she still excels at writing for an elementary audience. The subjects are perfect for kids, and the poems have a good blend of humor and poignancy.
Cons: Some of the lines of poetry were a little uneven, so the poems didn’t flow quite as smoothly as they could have.