The Good-bye Book [Paperback]

Judith Viorst (Author), Kay Chorao (Illustrator)

Book Description

This little boy will do anything to avoid an evening with the baby-sitter. He pleads with his parents. He begs. He bargains. Maybe he has a fever of a hundred and ten. Maybe he'll run away. Maybe he won't say good-bye!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In an impassioned soliloquy, a boy implores his parents not to leave him alone with the babysitter. Ages 3-6.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Publisher

His mother and father are getting dressed to go out to dinner together. He doesn't want them to go! They're going out and leaving him with a sitter. He hates that a lot! He pleads with them. He threatens to run away to a family that doesn't ever go out for the evening. He tells them he's sick, with a temperature of maybe a hundred and ten. And he tells them he won't-he'll never say good-bye.

Every child, and every child's parent, will recognize this oh-so-familiar struggle between grown-ups trying to go out for an evening and a child who is fiercely determined to make them stay. It's har to say good-bye but maybe a book that helps you to laugh can make saying good-bye a little easier. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (March 31, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689715811
• ISBN-13: 978-0689715815
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.9 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #376,230 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Judith Viorst has written many books for children, including the classics Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day and its sequels, and If I Were in Charge of the World and Other Stories. She is also the author of Just in Case, illustrated by Diana Cain Bluthenthal. She lives with her husband, Milton, in Washington D.C.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Decent drawings but the story is lacking......, January 22, 2009

By 

David W. Lesko (Gilberts, IL United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Good-bye Book (Paperback)

I bought this book to help my daughter with her fears of going to daycare. This book was recommended by an article i read on the problem and how to deal with it. We recieved the book and i have to say, i am pretty disapointed. The drawings in the book were nice but the story, specially the ending, was pretty pointless. It does a decent job of showing the childs fear of his parents leaving him at his baby sitter, but the ending, where the child realizes everything will be ok is just shown in pictures and not text, therefore the person reading the book has to explain to the child why the boy in the book is happy to be left with the babysitter. I could have gotten the same thing by just sitting down with my daughter and trying to explain things. If you are looking for a book to help ease the fear of going to daycare or a sitters buy the book The Kissing Hand by Audry Penn, it does a much better job.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ease the good-byes, July 31, 2000

By 

sandshell "childrensbookreader" (Nantucket, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Good-bye Book (Paperback)

My young children enjoyed this book because they could identify with the content of a young boy who doesn't want his parents to leave him with a babysitter for the night. This delightful story proves that not all picture books have to be syrupy-sweet. Children see themselves in the young character who refuses to let his parents leave without a fuss. You know that old adage that "misery loves company"? Judith Viorst is the champion at depicting young children's complaints, and this selection is no exception. Share it with your young child today.

4.0 out of 5 stars Well Written, September 29, 2009

By 

Y. Grosso (RI) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Good-bye Book (Paperback)

I liked this book but I did not like it as much as others I have purchased.