Grumpy Bird

As I was shopping at the local bookstore last weekend, a helpful associate noticed how much I enjoyed Bossy Bear ( I was commenting on how I was purchasing my second copy). She too is a fan and excitedly suggested a new picture book written by Jeremy Tankard called Grumpy Bird.
I grabbed it and loved it! Grumpy Bird is perfect for first graders. My students loved it...it has great pictures, characters (animals) they can relate to (we all have grumpy days), repetition and not too many words on a page.

Grumpy Bird starts his day in a bad mood. He is so grumpy he doesn't even want to fly. He is walking and his friends ask to join him along his grouchy stroll.
"What are you doing?" his animal friends each ask happily.
Grouchy bird hardly has a kind response. My favorite is when he answers, "Let me give you a hint...you do it by placing one foot in front of the other ."
His bad mood doesn't last very long once he realizes the fun he is having as the center of attention.

Grumpy Bird is a must have and a great break from the smaller leveled books. Just today I had a boy pick it up to read independently. For all you teachers out there who think levels. My buddy J (who is reading around a Fountas and Pinnell G/ RR 11-12 ) picked up this book to enjoy independently. I understand the need for levels but don't live by them. Enjoying good books is something I feel each student has a right to experience without being forced to read at a certain level each time they pick up a book.