Judith Viorst
Author of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
About the Author
Judith Viorst was born in Newark, New Jersey on February 2, 1931. She graduated from Rutgers University (1952) and the Washington Psychoanalytic Institute (1981). She has written extensively, her works include children's books, collections of poetry, lyrics to musicals, several works of fiction, show more and a cookbook. She has won a Silver Pencil award (for The Tenth Good Thing About Barney) and an Emmy (for poems used in an Anne Bancroft TV special). (Bowker Author Biography) Judith Viorst is the bestselling author of "Forever Fifty," "How Did I Get to Be Forty," "Necessary Losses," & several other works. She is also the author of the classic children's book "Alexander & the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day." A graduate of the Washington Psychoanalytic Institute, she is the recipient of various awards for her journalism & psychological writings. She lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband, political writer Milton Viorst. They have three sons. (Publisher Provided) show less
Image credit: Judith Viorst on May 2019
Series
Works by Judith Viorst
Necessary Losses: The Loves, Illusions, Dependencies, and Impossible Expectations That All of Us Have to Give Up in Order to Grow (1986) 973 copies, 8 reviews
If I Were in Charge of the World and Other Worries: Poems for Children and their Parents (1981) — Author — 724 copies, 12 reviews
My Mama Says There Aren't Any Zombies, Ghosts, Vampires, Creatures, Demons, Monsters, Fiends, Goblins, or Things (1973) 664 copies, 12 reviews
Sad Underwear and Other Complications: More Poems for Children and Their Parents (1995) 186 copies, 6 reviews
It's hard to be hip over thirty ... and other tragedies of married life; and, People & other aggravations (1999) 103 copies, 5 reviews
What Are You Glad About? What Are You Mad About?: Poems for When a Person Needs a Poem (2016) — Author — 93 copies, 6 reviews
Making the Best of What's Left: When We're Too Old to Get the Chairs Reupholstered (2025) 92 copies, 15 reviews
Grown-Up Marriage: What We Know, Wish We Had Known, and Still Need to Know About Being Married (2003) 64 copies
Nearing Ninety: And Other Comedies of Late Life (Judith Viorst's Decades) (2019) 42 copies, 5 reviews
You're Officially a Grown-up: The Graduate's Guide to Freedom, Responsibility, Happiness, and Personal Hygiene (1999) 27 copies, 1 review
Wait for Me: And Other Poems About the Irritations and Consolations of a Long Marriage (2015) 20 copies
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day; and Other Stories and Poems (2004) 18 copies, 2 reviews
The Changing Earth 5 copies
To co musimy utracić: czyli miłość, złudzenia, zależności niemożliwe od spełnienia oczekiwania, których każdy z nas musi s (2020) 4 copies
Alexander Book Set: ... the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day/...Who's Not (Do You Hear me? I mean it!) Going to Move (1989) 3 copies
Alexander Book Set: ... the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day/...Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday (2010) 2 copies
Alexander' who's Not 1 copy
Rosie and Michael 1 copy
Małżeństwo dla zaawansowanych: czyli wszystko co chcielibyśmy i powinniśmy wiedzieć, aby cieszyć się udanym związkiem (2021) 1 copy
Love and Shrimp 1 copy
Casamento para Toda a Vida 1 copy
There Is No Bad Day 1 copy
No one loved you more. 1 copy
Rosie and Michael 1 copy
Associated Works
The 20th-Century Children's Book Treasury: Picture Books and Stories to Read Aloud (1998) — Contributor — 1,828 copies, 14 reviews
Don't Bet on the Prince: Contemporary Feminist Fairy Tales in North America and England (1987) — Contributor — 513 copies, 4 reviews
What the Dormouse Said: Lessons for Grownups from Children's Books (1999) — Foreword — 235 copies, 3 reviews
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day [2014 film] (2014) — Original book — 95 copies, 1 review
A Taste of Murder: Diabolically Delicious Recipes from Contemporary Mystery Writers (1999) — Contributor — 48 copies, 1 review
Creme de la Femme: The Best of Contemporary Women's Humor (1997) — Contributor — 40 copies, 2 reviews
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Other names
- Viorst, Judith
- Birthdate
- 1931-02-02
- Gender
- female
- Education
- Rutgers University
Columbia High School, Maplewood, New Jersey, USA - Occupations
- Research graduate (Washington Psychoanalytic Institute)
author
writer
journalist - Organizations
- Redbook
- Relationships
- Viorst, Milton (husband)
- Short biography
- Judith Viorst (born February 2, 1931) is an American author, newspaper journalist, and psychoanalysis researcher. She is perhaps best known for her children's literature, such as The Tenth Good Thing About Barney (about the death of a pet) and the Alexander series of short books.
In the latter part of the 1970s, after two decades of writing for children and adults, Viorst turned to the study of Freudian psychology. After six years of study at Washington Psychoanalytic Institute, in 1981 she became a research graduate affiliated with the institute.
Judith Viorst lives in Washington, DC, with her husband, political writer Milton Viorst. They have three grown sons: Anthony Jacob Viorst, an attorney practicing in the Denver, Colorado area; Nicholas Nathan "Nick" Viorst, an Assistant District Attorney for New York County, and Alexander Noah Viorst. - Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- Newark, New Jersey, USA
- Places of residence
- Washington, D.C., USA
Maplewood, New Jersey, USA - Associated Place (for map)
- New Jersey, USA
Members
Reviews
I can only hope that if I get to be in my nineties that my mind and sense of humor is as intact as Judith Viorst’s.
Viorst considers the challenges of the last decades of life and celebrates the ways those in the ‘Final Fifth’ can contribute to the world and enjoy what’s left.
Declining health forced Viorst and her husband to leave their beloved house of fifty-one years for a retirement community. Drawing from new friends and old, she shares stories around themes: leaving one’s home, show more the losses of aging, losing beloved spouses and friends, questions about the afterlife, dealing with loneliness and finding community, how to find happiness.
With short chapters and accompanying poetry, Viorst’s humor and optimism makes this an enjoyable read about difficult issues. I laughed out loud and ran to share stories with my husband.
Viorst notes that we may not have the “stamina or the badder” to march and picket for issues that concern us, but we can be constructive beyond writing a check. We can write and call and make our voice heard. I believe that my book reviewing is a way to impact the greater world. It connects me with other readers, and sometimes even with writers. It offers a sense of purpose. And keeps my mind sharp–I hope!
The first book I read about aging was The Measure of My Days by Florida Scott-Maxwell, back when I was in my twenties. Reading about the Final Fifth in my early seventies is a different experience. It’s not a distant future anymore.
Thanks to the publisher for a free book through LibraryThing Early Readers. show less
Viorst considers the challenges of the last decades of life and celebrates the ways those in the ‘Final Fifth’ can contribute to the world and enjoy what’s left.
Declining health forced Viorst and her husband to leave their beloved house of fifty-one years for a retirement community. Drawing from new friends and old, she shares stories around themes: leaving one’s home, show more the losses of aging, losing beloved spouses and friends, questions about the afterlife, dealing with loneliness and finding community, how to find happiness.
With short chapters and accompanying poetry, Viorst’s humor and optimism makes this an enjoyable read about difficult issues. I laughed out loud and ran to share stories with my husband.
Viorst notes that we may not have the “stamina or the badder” to march and picket for issues that concern us, but we can be constructive beyond writing a check. We can write and call and make our voice heard. I believe that my book reviewing is a way to impact the greater world. It connects me with other readers, and sometimes even with writers. It offers a sense of purpose. And keeps my mind sharp–I hope!
The first book I read about aging was The Measure of My Days by Florida Scott-Maxwell, back when I was in my twenties. Reading about the Final Fifth in my early seventies is a different experience. It’s not a distant future anymore.
Thanks to the publisher for a free book through LibraryThing Early Readers. show less
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
Lulu is so accustomed to getting what she wants that when her parents deny her birthday request for a brontosaurus, she throws a four-day temper tantrum and then storms off into the forest in search of the dinosaur she clearly deserves. Lulu isn't particularly impressed with the snake, tiger, and bear she encounters, but then she finds him--a beautiful, long-necked, graceful brontosaurus. Mr. B completely agrees with Lulu that having a pet would be a wonderful thing, and Lulu thinks she's show more gotten her birthday wish at last. Until she realizes that Mr. Brontosaurus thinks that "she" would make an ideal pet for "him!"
How will Lulu ever get out of this sticky situation without throwing a fit (Mr. B does not respond well to those), or using force (Mr. B is much too tall to bonk on the head with her suitcase), or smushing her pickle sandwich? Beloved children's author Judith Viorst and Caldecott-winning illustrator Lane Smith offer a fresh and funny tale with several surprise endings! show less
How will Lulu ever get out of this sticky situation without throwing a fit (Mr. B does not respond well to those), or using force (Mr. B is much too tall to bonk on the head with her suitcase), or smushing her pickle sandwich? Beloved children's author Judith Viorst and Caldecott-winning illustrator Lane Smith offer a fresh and funny tale with several surprise endings! show less
If I Were in Charge of the World and Other Worries: Poems for Children and their Parents by Judith Viorst
There are some wonderful poems in this collection. Many, of course, are about the worries, annoyances, grievances, heartbreaks and losses of childhood. Some focus on envy, competitiveness, and self image. There are also lovely poems that address—among other things—pet cats, good friends, and the smell of early springtime.
I particularly liked the “Fairy Tales” section of the book in which Viorst has well-known heroines address, in the first person, the reality of their situations. show more When the prince who’s searching for the owner of the glass slipper visits Cinderella, for example, she has reservations:
I really didn’t notice that he had a funny nose.
And he certainly looked better all dressed up in fancy clothes.
He’s not nearly as attractive as he seemed the other night.
So I think I’ll just pretend that this glass slipper feels too tight.
As for the Little Mermaid—she poignantly reflects and regrets:
I risked more than my life to make him love me.
The prince preferred another for his bride.
I always hate the ending to this story:
They lived together happily; I died.
But I have some advice for modern mermaids
Who wish to save great sorrow and travail:
Don’t give up who you are for love of princes.
He might have liked me better with my tail.
While some of Viorst’s cultural references are now dated, there’s still much emotionally relatable and humorous content in this poetry collection for kids. Recommended. show less
I particularly liked the “Fairy Tales” section of the book in which Viorst has well-known heroines address, in the first person, the reality of their situations. show more When the prince who’s searching for the owner of the glass slipper visits Cinderella, for example, she has reservations:
I really didn’t notice that he had a funny nose.
And he certainly looked better all dressed up in fancy clothes.
He’s not nearly as attractive as he seemed the other night.
So I think I’ll just pretend that this glass slipper feels too tight.
As for the Little Mermaid—she poignantly reflects and regrets:
I risked more than my life to make him love me.
The prince preferred another for his bride.
I always hate the ending to this story:
They lived together happily; I died.
But I have some advice for modern mermaids
Who wish to save great sorrow and travail:
Don’t give up who you are for love of princes.
He might have liked me better with my tail.
While some of Viorst’s cultural references are now dated, there’s still much emotionally relatable and humorous content in this poetry collection for kids. Recommended. show less
At roughly 2pm this afternoon (June 21st, 2009) my cat - friendly and loving little beast, hair-raising terror, and long-time companion - breathed her last. Sixteen years old, Kitty (no, I didn't name her) had been with me for half the span of my life, and although she had been ill for some time, it was still a heart-breaking decision to have her euthanized. As my mother and I sat with her while the injection took effect, we found ourselves recalling all the wonderful ways she had show more contributed to our home and family.
Kitty was my mother's "prayer cat," and would sit next to her every morning, purring as loudly as possible, while my mother said her daily "prayers and meditations." She was a sociable little beast (except when she wasn't) and I have fond memories of the many times she would come sit with me on the sofa, while I was curled up, reading a book. She had this adorable habit of coming out of her bed (or the forbidden closet) to greet me when I got home, lolling about on her back, hoping to trick me into petting her tummy. Little hussy - as if I didn't know it was all a ruse so she could give my hand a little nip! "Kisses, not nips!" I would intone, and she would lick my finger, as if in apology...
And so it is, as I sit here this evening, trying not to think about how empty the apartment seems without her, I am reminded of Judith Viorst's wonderful picture book, The Tenth Good Thing About Barney, in which a young boy struggles to cope with the loss of his beloved cat by compiling a list of "good things" about him. As someone who has been involved with children's books for many years, I have had more than one occasion to recommend this title, but had never, until today, understood its acute sensitivity to the rituals of grieving.
What could be more natural, at a time like this, than that we should want to recall all the ways in which our animal companion brought us happiness? And what could be more reassuring, especially for the young children at whom this book is aimed, than the fact that their instinctive reaction is one shared by many others? Highly, highly recommended. show less
Kitty was my mother's "prayer cat," and would sit next to her every morning, purring as loudly as possible, while my mother said her daily "prayers and meditations." She was a sociable little beast (except when she wasn't) and I have fond memories of the many times she would come sit with me on the sofa, while I was curled up, reading a book. She had this adorable habit of coming out of her bed (or the forbidden closet) to greet me when I got home, lolling about on her back, hoping to trick me into petting her tummy. Little hussy - as if I didn't know it was all a ruse so she could give my hand a little nip! "Kisses, not nips!" I would intone, and she would lick my finger, as if in apology...
And so it is, as I sit here this evening, trying not to think about how empty the apartment seems without her, I am reminded of Judith Viorst's wonderful picture book, The Tenth Good Thing About Barney, in which a young boy struggles to cope with the loss of his beloved cat by compiling a list of "good things" about him. As someone who has been involved with children's books for many years, I have had more than one occasion to recommend this title, but had never, until today, understood its acute sensitivity to the rituals of grieving.
What could be more natural, at a time like this, than that we should want to recall all the ways in which our animal companion brought us happiness? And what could be more reassuring, especially for the young children at whom this book is aimed, than the fact that their instinctive reaction is one shared by many others? Highly, highly recommended. show less
Lists
Awards
You May Also Like
Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 92
- Also by
- 14
- Members
- 36,277
- Popularity
- #511
- Rating
- 4.1
- Reviews
- 1,213
- ISBNs
- 456
- Languages
- 12
- Favorited
- 16
