The Sorely Trying Day

by Russell Hoban, Lillian Hoban (Illustrator)

Father has had a long hard day at work. A sorely trying day indeed. He wants to sit down and put his feet up and rest. But what does he find when he arrives home? Commotion, consternation, confusion, chaos rule! How to get to the bottom of it? How to restore some semblance of proper order?

The investigation, reluctantly begun, expands in widening circles to take in the whole family, as finger points to pointing finger. Perhaps everyone is to blame? Perhaps to set things straight everyone just needs to sit down, say sorry, and start over again?

That family life is just that simple and never quite that simple is the message Russell and Lillian Hoban, the creators of such classics as Bread and Jam for Frances , A Little Sister for Frances , and The Little Brute Family , bring alive in this cleverly fashioned and heartwarmingly illustrated tale of a house in uproar.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Family, Humor, Classics

48 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1964

About the author

Russell Conwell Hoban was an American expatriate writer. His works span many genres, including fantasy, science fiction, mainstream fiction, magical realism, poetry, and children's books. He lived in London, England, from 1969 until his death. (Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Lobstergirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Victorian father comes home from "a sorely trying day" to find his four children, dog, and cat fighting. An orgy of recriminations ensues; each blames the next in line, and the children are punished by not being allowed to press flowers in their scrapbooks for the rest of the week. (They are Victorian...) Upon being blamed by the dog, the cat complains: "I have been ill-used and unjustly treated." The cat then goes on to blame everything on a mouse, and the conversation between the two is one of the most brilliant in children's literature. "All this suffering must end somewhere," says the mouse. "Let it end with me, since I am the least of the least." He prepares to die, but the cat, possibly encountering a twinge of conscience, exclaims, "You are insufferable, and I refuse to let you die a hero's death." The cat then apologizes to the dog, and each family member begins to take responsibility. A wonderful moral lesson, with Lillian Hoban's black and white pencil drawings.

[Yolanda Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charming and quaint.

[Storywraps · Rating 5 out of 5]

Father comes home after a hard day at work and just wants to relax, read his newspaper and have some tranqillity and me-time. When he walks through the door he finds the total opposite. The kids are squabbling, the dog has chased the cat up on top of the grandfather clock, his wife has had it with all the wild bedlam and pandemonium reigns. Oh my!

Poor Father... how did this all happen? He just wanted to unwind and not have any more problems to contend with. He realizes that the family must be sorted and they are all looking to him to do the sorting and to solve the problem!

Father investigates and after the blaming and finger-pointing subsides he gives everyone (including the dog and the cat) a time out to think through what's been happening, apologize to each other and push the refresh button so they can get on with their evening. Will that be the case? Can they really do it? Will peace and harmony be restored so everyone can enjoy a quiet evening together?

Every family can relate to this book that is why this is a perfect book to share after you too have experienced a "sorely trying day."

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wonderful book with charming illustrations was first published in 1964, and has been long out of print. It is a perfect study in the degenerative effects of the Blame Game and the equally conciliatory and restorative effects of a well-timed, sincere apology. Always genteel and erudite, but never stuffy or condescending to his young audiences, Russell Hoban (of the beloved Frances books) is a treasure. Read this aloud to the whole family and to your littles snuggled on your lap to better see the pictures! Everyone will giggle with recognition as the accusations and excuses fly from one family member to the next all the way down to the family cat...who blames the mouse! ;)

[Snail in Danger (Sid) Nicolaides · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty pedestrian. Though I did laugh at the end.

[Chris Browning · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a huge fan of the Hobans, but spent a good deal of this book waiting for the punchline to kick in. It’s beautifully written and illustrated and feels like a less chaotic variation on my favourite picture book, the mighty Story of Horace. And then the final page comes and is so deeply funny and nicely subversive it nicely detonates the “improving” aspects of the writing. Beautifully done and nicely, quietly subversive

[Marmot · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like to remind my kids of the sorely trying day when they are being sorely trying! I wish the message in this book would permeate every aspect of my selfish 9 year old’s head!

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story with
Interesting composition.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

A refreshing tale of family life and forgiveness.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Odd but cute. A good story to read to siblings

[Kristin Fletcher-spear · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm weeding the picture books right now and should have weeded this title away, but it just charmed me too much. now it's on display in hopes someone will save it from the booksale pile. It seems like a spoof of an old time pb and not an actual Hoban pb.

I loved the old language and the way the cat won't give the mouse a heroic death!

[Sheherazahde · Rating 4 out of 5]

My sister Maria gave me this book for my 50th birthday. I'm not sure if that says something about me or something about her.

This appears to be a fairly straightforward morality story. Everyone in the family has a "sorely trying day" and when they learn to take responsibility and apologize things get better. A rather quaint story with antique images.

[Friend of Pixie]

WHY: By the same couple who created Frances the badger, in this story, an Edwardian father comes home to find chaos. Everyone blames someone else, right down to the dog blaming the cat. The crux of the story is trying to figure out the source of the problem.

[Inhabiting Books]

A chain of events leads members of a family to behave badly, causing a ripple effect of bad behavior down the line. Funny and still apropos, despite the somewhat archaic language form used at times. My girls laughed ruefully as they recognized their own behavior.

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had never heard of this book, but saw it in Wonder Book and Video, picked it up and paged through—and could not resist. An excellent book, illustrating how even the saintliest of characters…can have a sorely trying day.

[Lorelei · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my very favourite childhood reads, I particularly like the illustrations by Lillian Hoban.

[Paula Gallagher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clever, wise, and timeless, much like the duo's Frances books. I'm so glad to see this back in print.

[Noam · Rating 4 out of 5]

File this with The Ghastlycrumb Tinies under "childrens books that are actually for the parents."

[Shawn Thrasher · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very strange - but sort of humorous - picture book.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

My grandmother read us this book growing up, and still has it to this day. An old classic that children can still enjoy.

[Sharn Dhah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The language might be too advanced for children, but I think they'll pick up the context. Great message about taking responsibility for your actions and making amends. And adorable Victorian outfits!

[Cornelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is old school - in the words it uses, it's world view, etc. Blame is used.

[Mckinley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like this at first, but it grew on me.