Grumpy Monkey

One beautiful, sunny day, Jim Panzee wakes up feeling out of sorts. His next-door neighbor Norman assumes he feels grumpy, and proceeds to tell all of the other animals that this is the case. Everyone Jim meets tells him to cheer up, asking him to do something, from standing up straighter to smiling, that makes THEM feel better, but what can he do to make HIMSELF feel better?

An engaging picture-book exploration of those bad days when, for no real reason, one feels grouchy, Grumpy Monkey pairs an entertaining, thoughtful narrative with appealing, humorously expressive artwork. I appreciated the distinction made in author Suzanne Lang's story, between our external affect and our internal emotional state. The requests made by Jim's friends show more seem to have more to do with their discomfort at the former, rather than any concern at the latter, so the conclusion, in which Norman affirms that it is "a wonderful day to be grumpy," feels all the more satisfying. Recommended to little monkeys (and children) who have experienced a grumpy day. show less

Jim the Monkey wakes up grumpy one morning. All his animal friends try to help him feel happy, suggesting all kinds of things, like smiling, unhunching his shoulders, hopping, and so on. Eventually Jim realizes that it's okay to feel grumpy and that if he just lets himself feel that way for a while, eventually he'll feel something different. I loved this book. The illustrations are great and very funny, and the message that it's okay to feel what you're feeling is presented perfectly.

Grumpy Monkey by Suzanne Lang, with illustrations by her husband, Max Lang, is a relatable and humorous story about a monkey named Jim Panzee. The central theme being learning to recognize and process big emotions.

Jim wakes up one morning and everything just feels... wrong, but Jim can’t quite put his finger on why. Jim’s friend Norman (and the reader) sees the physical traits of grumpiness in Jim, which are clear and pronounced in the illustrations—his furrowed brow, frown, red face, and droopy posture.

Norman suggests that Jim might be grumpy, but Jim can’t recognize or admit what he is feeling and attempts to mimic happiness, unsuccessfully. The illustration of Jim trying to look happy is one of the only ones with a plain show more white background, which forces the reader to focus on Jim’s expression and emphasizes how not-happy Jim actually looks.

A secondary theme of friendship is also present in the book, with Norman trying, along with many other jungle friends, to help cheer Jim up. And later, Norman sitting with Jim while he finally realizes that he just needs to be grumpy for now, but that he’ll feel better soon.

Jim’s character development is significant because learning to identify and work through hard emotions is something every kid faces and has to contend with. Jim eventually is able to name what he is feeling. Along the way, he learns how not to deal with his emotions (yelling at his friends), that sometimes, just sitting with them is the best way to get through them, and, most importantly, that big feelings are temporary.

Grumpy Monkey opens the door for valuable conversations with kids about feelings, acceptance, and empathy. show less

Sometimes we're just in a mood, even if nothing's prompting it. If we don't fret about it too much, it'll pass. What really doesn't help is our friends telling us to just get over it. This book is a fable for all ages, with cute illustrations (and the animals don't wear clothes.. yay!). I'm adding the sequels (!) to my lists now.

Perfectly captures how annoying other people are when you wake up grumpy. Also, perfectly captures grumpiness. Funny in a very true way.

I really enjoyed reading Grumpy Monkey because it shows that it’s okay to have bad days. The main character, Jim Panzee, wakes up feeling grumpy for no clear reason. Even though everyone around him keeps telling him to cheer up or do fun things, nothing really helps. What I liked most is that Jim finally admits he’s grumpy, and that’s when he starts to feel a little better.

I think this book does a good job showing that people don’t always have to be happy, and that it’s normal to feel off sometimes. The story is simple, but the message is really important, especially for younger kids who might not always know how to express their emotions.

The pictures in the book are really fun and colorful. Jim’s facial expressions made me show more laugh, and the other animals in the story also have really funny reactions. The illustrations helped make the book even more enjoyable to read.

Overall, I think Grumpy Monkey is a great book for talking about emotions and learning that it’s okay to not be okay all the time. I would definitely recommend it for young kids or anyone who just needs a reminder that all feelings are valid—even grumpy ones. show less

I enjoy reading this book with children. Not only is it a good book for all children, but it can also be beneficial for identifying emotions and understanding that sometimes we just feel grumpy and we need space, or sometimes we just need someone to be there. This book would be good for 3-5 and in small groups. I rate this a 4-star because of the responses that the monkey gives could rub off on children when they are feeling "grumpy," but overall, this book is a great read, and I wouldn't completely discredit the book just for that point.