The Grumpy Pets

PreS-Gr 1—When Billy's mother takes him and his sister to the Perfect Pets animal rescue, she hopes Billy will find a pet to make him smile. But Billy, a grumpy boy, is not amused by the pets, which range from happy to happier to way too happy. But soon he discovers the area in the back where they keep the grumpy pets—they are crabby, cranky, and moody—just like Billy. There he encounters a dog that matches him, grumpy look for grumpy look, and then gives him a big doggy kiss. With the dog in his arms, Billy smiles for a long time before reverting to his standard grumpy look. Using soft colors, great expressions, and just enough detail, Lombardi's illustrations perfectly capture the emotions among the animals and humans alike. The slew of grumpy animals—hedgehog, turtle, lizard, hamster—featured on the endpapers are a fun touch.