Spinky Sulks

by William Steig

A playful story of poor, misunderstood Spinky, lying in his hammock with a dreadful case of the sulks.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Realistic Fiction, Family, Fiction, Audiobook, Humor

32 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1988

About the author

William Steig was born in New York City in 1907. In a family where every member was involved in the arts, it was not surprising that Steig became an artist.

He published his first children's book, Roland the Minstrel Pig, in 1968, embarking on a new and very different career.

Steig's books reflect his conviction that children want the security of a devoted family and friends. When Sylvester, Farmer Palmer, Abel, Pearl, Gorky, Solomon, and Irene eventually get home, their families are all waiting, and beginning with Amos & Boris, friendship is celebrated in story after story.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/willia...

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

The world was against him, so he was against the world, and that included all living things - except, of course, the animals.

Spinky's a wee bit out of sorts, feeling put upon, unloved, and underappreciated. What's a boy to do but sulk?

I think we've all felt like Spinky at one time or another. I love that his family is so patient with him as they attempt to snap him out of his funk. And, I love the ending.

Steig has yet to disappoint me.

[Deanna Caswell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not a book for modeling proper parenting and child behavior. I think that might be why I like it. Polarizing.

[Miss Kious · Rating 4 out of 5]

getting over being mad at people who you love

dealing with sensitive people - not giving up on them

treating people kindly and forgiving people

[Josiah · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's easy to be injured by this world, even by those closest to oneself, and to feel the powerful pull to respond by withdrawing from the source of that pain. Spinky encounters exactly this in Spinky Sulks.

Spinky really is an especially sensitive boy who feels that he can't abide the slights that he perceives his family to have committed against him. Therefore, he sits alone outside the house and refuses to speak to them, even when his brother and sister and both parents apologize to him for what wrong they've done, and go way out of their way to show Spinky that they care about him and don't want to see him distraught.

Over time, Spinky feels the pull to relent from his fuming silence, but his anger still blocks the way, stopping him even from enjoying the presence of his good friends Smudge and Iggie, and of his grandmother. Spinky feels as if he needs to carry his anger forever; that is, until he figures out a really nice way to show his family that he's not mad at them any more.

Spinky Sulks is a tremendous catharsis for all of us who feel the way that Spinky does, whether we feel this way infrequently or nearly every day. Few readers will be unable to identify with his complex yet honest jumble of emotions, and fewer still won't be encouraged and have their hearts warmed by the efforts of Spinky's family to reach out to him. I would give two and a half stars to this book.

[Elayna Gilbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book a lot because it showed two different sides to Spinky. He is a very sensitive person yet also has a sometimes careless side. The comments made by his siblings and parents are very funny and the ending is humorous. They illustrations are great conversation starters with preschoolers. The pictures also raise a ton of questions for the children and are great discussion questions. I would use this in my classroom as a story book time and ask many open ended questions. I also really like the drawings.

[Ilana Waters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book! As an especially sensitive person (ahem), I sympathize with Spinky's plight. Yet I also see his unreasonableness in failing to forgive his "tormentors." I liked how the author presented both sides of the story--sensitive Spinky versus his sometimes careless family. Readers will laugh at the ending . . . and smile at the inevitable.

[Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

An honest to G-d masterpiece. I would be suspicious of anyone who doesn't like this book.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so funny that an hour after reading this I started laughing again. But it was not exactly appropriate for a four-year-old. I had to gloss over the word "stupid" and "ugly." The pictures are so funny, and the way Steig wrote the book was in the voice of a sulking child and he captured that voice so perfectly well.

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a funny and wise story about sulking and its effects. I probably should have read that when I was a kid. The story becomes more extreme as it goes on and Spinky misses out on a lot of fun stuff. But boy does he make up in the end!

[T Crockett · Rating 3 out of 5]

The comments made by the siblings and parents are really funny. The illustrations (from a parade to sleeping in a hammock in the rain) are great conversation starters with preschoolers. Of course those same pictures raise some interesting questions, like "What's in the daddy's mouth?" (a pipe).

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great story about family relationships and forgiveness!

[Alissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Spinky! Pull it together, man!

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sooo funny. Also really funny are the negative reviews of this book on Amazon.

[Bree · Rating 1 out of 5]

Notes:
books like this do more harm than good sometimes; my kids would learn some pretty negative behavior from this story; "Alexander" by Viorst is better and not so morose

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lacks some of the depth of my favorite Steig books, but certainly has its charms. ("After all, she still belonged to the human race, for which he no longer had any use.")

[Prabhat sharma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spinky Sulks by William Steig- Childrens’ book- I have read this book in Hindi. The book has been translated by Poorva Yagnik. Members of Spinky’s family are her father and mother, her elder brother Hitch, his sister Wilamina. Their residence in situated on a main street. Spinky really is an especially sensitive boy. He feels that his family members do not display love on him like other children. He displays his anger as both his brother and sister has been teasing them. He goes out to the garden and sits on the lawn. First, his sister arrives and says sorry for her teasing. Next, her brother comes to him and tries to please him. His mother comes to the garden to call him for lunch. Spinky climbs a tree and does not eat. Spinky notices that circus shows are advertised and they pass in front of their residence. He lies down on a Hammock swing and goes to sleep. In the evening, Spinky’s mother comes and shows her love on Spinky. Spinky does not respond to her love. She covers him with a blanket/hammock so that he can sleep comfortably. Next morning, his father leaves for his office, his mother brings asparagus, tomato soup, cake, grapes for him. After some time, she finds that Spinky has eaten cake and grapes but has left the other two items of food. After some time, Hith and Wilamina attract his attention and say “sorry” for their behaviour. His mother hangs pluck flowers and hangs them on his swing. Spinky throws the flowers on the ground. Wilamena plucks daisy flowers for him but he does not show interest. A circus show procession passes his residence but Spinky shows no interest in watching ithe show. Spinky’s friends Smudge and Iggy arrives at his residence to play with him but he refuses to play. In the evening, his father returns from his office. He sits with Spinky and explains to him that “we all love you” and that he is their dear child. Spinky does not respond. In the night, his father invites his mother and a joker with toffies to change the mood of Spinky. His grandmother and the joker arrived to meet Spinky. Joker brings his favourite triple -taste ice-cream for him. At this show of love, Spinky smiled. He saw that his family members are happily watching him. Soon it started raining. His parents covered his hammock with a tarpaulin and opened an umbrella to cover him from rain. Now, Spinky’s anger had curbed. He wanted to show his thanks to his family. He woke up early and dressed like a joker. He laid down breakfast in trays and waited for his family members to wake up and arrive for breakfast. When his family member arrived, they smiled on looking at Spinky and breakfast table. Tension between them had ended. Now, his family members had understood that Spinky is a sensitive child and they should understand his feelings and do not provide any opportunity to provoke his anger. Illustrations are helpful for readers to understand the contents of the script.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Spinky’s family hurts his feelings, he heads outside to sulk. His sister, Willamina, and his brother, Hitch, try to apologize, but Spinky is too busy sulking to care.

Despite all of the family’s efforts to get Spinky to end his outdoor sulk-fest, Spinky remains stubbornly disappointed in his family.

What will happen? Will Spinky continue to sulk or will he forgive his family?

=========

Young readers will be able to see both sides of the matter in this interesting tale. Yes, children’s feelings can be hurt, and, yes, they even sulk. But by showing Spinky’s reluctance to forgive his family, even after they’ve made multiple attempts to apologize, the young reader will recognize the need for everyone to have understanding . . . and to be forgiving.

Colorful pictures accompany the text and truly capture the essence of a sulking child and provide adults with an opportunity to discuss family relationships, feelings, and acceptable behavior with the young reader.

Recommended.

[Grace Walker · Rating 1 out of 5]

Fiction
1st- 3rd Grade
Overall, I feel like the book went on for too long and did not keep me entertained. I feel like his attitude throughout the story was drawn out and did not respond well when his family came to talk to him. I also feel like the ending when he apologies for his ways could have been more than just one page.

[Molly · Rating 2 out of 5]

So I'm not sure if I didn't like this because I could see so much of my younger self in Spinky, or if it's just that the art was a bit dated-looking and the story overly wordy for the age I'm trying to find books for.

[Raina Singh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not gonna lie, what caught my attention was the fact that Meryl Streep was narrating the audiobook version of this, hehe.

But! I thought this book was wonderfully realistic - I am sure that I have been Spinky on many an occasion.

[Duncan White · Rating 3 out of 5]

William Steig has a contrarian streak. It's alive in Shrek!, and it's definitely alive in Spinky Sulks. I fear admitting to not being too into it means I'm too humorless to go along with the joke, but I guess that's something I'll have to live with.

[Jamie Yonker]

going to try to read every William Steig book this year. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble was my favorite childhood book and still makes me cry upon a reread. I bet there are more of his works that will hit my soft spots in a similar way… <3

[Honore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think having access to books that deal with negative feelings is important for children. I definitely was given this since I sometimes had my own sulky moments.

[Shairie · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Insert any kid's name* Sulks.

A story of a kid with a prodigious pride. It's funny and also relatable to me (because I was a kid who suffered the dreadful case of the sulks too.)

[kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

listened to it on audio only, and it just didn't work for me. may be better with pictures

[Seven · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don’t overate child’s sulk.

[My · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars! The kids thought he was funny and that's all that matters!

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 4 out of 5]

It fascinates me that after Spinky's kith and kin try and fail to get him out of his sulk, they leave him alone. They do check on him and when the weather changes, they make sure he's kept dry and safe. But the make no further demands on him while he works through whatever it is he needs to work through. Out of nearly 1200 picture books I've reviewed on this site, Spinky Sulks is the only one I've come across that gives a child character this much agency over their own emotions.

https://pussreboots.com/blog/2025/com...

[Sarah]

Hehe...this one made me laugh. I was a big sulker as a child, you see.

[Cana · Rating 4 out of 5]

It reminded me of me sometimes when Spinky got all grumpy.