[close] Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day was first published in 1972, catapulting a lovable, if peevish, young hero into the world of children's literature. Since then, Judith Viorst--mother of three boys, one of whom is named Alexander--has created two more Alexander books, Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday and Alexander, Who's Not (Do You Hear Me? I Mean It!) Going to Move.

This wonderful Alexander-fest features the complete tales, illustrated by Ray Cruz and Robin Preiss Glasser, much to the delight of fans who want to introduce Alexander to the uninitiated. Viorst says that she has been writing always--"or at least since I was seven or eight, when I composed an ode to my dead parents, both of whom were alive and well and, when they read my poem, extremely annoyed." If you've ever gone to sleep with gum in your mouth or dropped your sweater in the sink while the water was running, you'll be able to relate to Alexander, and so will your favorite kids. (Ages 4 to 8) [close]