Sometimes I Grumblesquich

by Rachel Vail

illustrated by Hyewon Yum

a KIRKUS BEST PICTURE BOOK of 2022!

Bank Street Children’s Book Committee – December 2022 Pick!

a Chicago Public Library BEST PICTURE BOOK of 2022!

A sweet and touching exploration of the scariness of BIG feelings and overcoming the pressures to do everything "just right," in this companion title to bestselling picture book Sometimes I'm Bombaloo.

Katie Honors is a really nice kid. But there’s one little secret that sometimes makes her feel not-so-nice deep inside: her little brother, Chuck. Katie loves her brother and works hard to be the perfect big sister but it can be hard. Chuck can sometimes be just so icky and messy. Sometimes it makes Katie secretly wish she had a trampoline or a treehouse or a giraffe instead of a brother. When all these emotions bubble up to the surface, Katie can no longer grumblesquinch them down. She explodes, but she also learns an important lesson: that there’s room for ALL of her feelings, even the scary ones.

Sometimes I Grumblesquinch masterfully explores the pressure children often feel to be perfect all the time and helps them realize that it's okay to share frustrating, and at times, not-so-nice thoughts and seek comfort from adults to help them manage those feelings. This story explores key social emotional skills that kids need to navigate complicated feelings, and will live alongside bestsellers like When Sophie Gets Really Really Angry and How Do Dinosaurs Say I'm Mad. Once again, Rachel Vail taps into universal childhood experiences that are often left unexplored, and does so with sensitivity, humor, and respect for the wide range of emotions kids face today.

Praise for Sometimes I Grumblesquinch:

* "Sensitive and emotionally true, a comforting portrayal of big emotions." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* “This tender, insightful exploration of childhood emotion and respectful parenting is an important purchase for all collections.” -- School Library Journal, starred review