Maya Was Grumpy

Overview

An artful mixture of fantasy and reality, humor and heart, Maya Was Grumpy celebrates the power of imagination and humor to improve moods. Maya wakes up on the wrong side of the bed, tangled in her blanket, and in a crispy, cranky, grumpy, grouchy mood. She doesn’t want to read or color or go outside to play. What’s worse, she’s determined to share her grumpiness with everyone as she glumps, clumps, and thumps around the house. But when Maya growls at her grandmother, Gramma graciously takes Maya’s mood in stride, and even has a solution: Gramma suggests a series of unusual activities that Maya will probably not want to do since she’s feeling grumpy—and then dismisses her own silly suggestions before Maya can reject them. Children will find it hard to keep from smiling as they watch Maya’s grouchiness dissolve into glee at Gramma’s giggle-inducing ideas, while adults will find Gramma’s clever tactic a useful strategy to add to their repertoire when kids are grumpy.

Reviews

"This book is full of bold, colorful illustrations that suit the narrative perfectly…. it is nice to see that this dreadful feeling does not have to be long-lasting, that humour is a fun and powerful tool, and that grandmas are heroes…" —Christa McGrath, Edwards Book Club Reviews

"With bold illustrations and whimsical suggestions by grandma—like tickling tarantulas—the story reminds readers that a bad mood can’t last forever. It’s a fun, imaginative read with a touch of humour." —Aruna Shekar, award-winning author and educator

"What do you do when you wake up feeling very grumpy?... Grandma decided to turn the mood around by engaging Maya in a little bit of imagination. A bad day turns into a fun-filled adventure for Maya in this heartfelt story." —Children's Bookwatch, Midwest Book Review

Author Biography

Courtney Pippin-Mathur is has written and illustrated 5 children's picture books. She lives in Alexandria, Virginia.