Graves, Sue

Crabby Gabby
Illustrated by Desideria Guicciardini. 2008. 24pp. $6.95 pbk. Crabtree Publishing Company. 978-0-7787-3883-1. Grades K-2

Gabby is a cranky little girl. Any time anyone in her family asks her to do anything, Gabby gets crabby. Then, one day when she asks her family to play a game with her, her entire family gets crabby. Gabby realizes what it has been like for everyone to deal with her temper tantrums, and she apologizes, mending her ways so that she is no longer perpetually crabby. This book has very simple words and phrases and would be a good introduction to easy reader books for small children just learning to read. Children may empathize with either Gabby, who throws several tantrums over the course of the book, or her beleaguered family, who help Gabby see the error of her ways. Older children may find this book helpful in explaining how their younger siblings behave. Recommended for new readers. ( )