Sad Underwear and Other Complications: More Poems for Children and their Parents [Hardcover]

Judith Viorst (Author), Richard Hull (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1995

Knock, knock

Who's there?

Someone with sad underwear.

Sad underwear? How can that be?

When my best friend's mad at me,

Everything is sad.

Even my underwear.

But sad underwear is just one of the many complications a person has to deal with. There's the first day of school ("Will they let me go when I need to go to the bathroom?") and pests like Wayne ("a fellow who clogs up life's drain") and bee stings and liver for supper -- and missing your dad.

This companion volume to the acclaimed If I Were in Charge of the World and Other Worries has poems for explorers and dreamers, for people who love unicorns, for people who'd rather have pets than baby sisters. Funny, poignant and always true, it examines and celebrates life with all of its perplexing complications.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Fans of Viorst's If I Were in Charge of the World will welcome this confection of light verse. Indicative of the child-centered approach, the category "Stuff You Should Know" includes the poem "Item of Information": "Just in case/ You were wondering what a disgrace is:/ It's, when you're in public,/ Scratching in private places." A poem in the "Questions" section asks, "Who decided that vegetables are something a growing child needs?" Other sections contain built-up knock-knock jokes or revamped fairy tales (e.g., Beauty laments that, once the spell was broken, "everyone thinks he's the beauty and I'm the beast"). Less fanciful than his full-color illustrations for Viorst's The Alphabet from Z to A, Hull's pen-and-ink drawings fill the pages with birds, unicorns, flowers and moons, but they do not reflect the variety of topics Viorst addresses. These poems skim the surface, breaking no new ground, but children will be entertained by their breezy simplicity and humor. Ages 7-up.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6?From "The Seventh Swimming Lesson," in which Sally finally puts her face in the water, to a practical version of "Sleeping Beauty," this is an inspired book of verse guaranteed to the tickle the humerus again and again. Yet, poignancy is present, too. The jolly fat boy isn't mirthful when he's alone, and "What Dads Do" is so amusingly correct that readers will not be prepared for the final line, "I wish I still had one." All in all, these 70-odd poems will challenge, charm, and delight any child?or adult?who chooses to read them. A great many of the verses would be perfect for reading aloud and for transforming into wonderful choral-reading arrangements. Both humorous and dreamlike pen-and-ink illustrations are scattered throughout. Run out in your skivvies, if necessary, to secure a copy of this fine book. It will make children laugh themselves silly.?Amy Adler, Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, OH
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 80 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (April 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689319290
• ISBN-13: 978-0689319297
• Product Dimensions: 1 x 7.5 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #729,469 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

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars On SAD UNDERWEAR, June 16, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Sad Underwear and Other Complications: More Poems fo Children and Their Parents (Paperback)

In keeping with the style and humor of her previous works, Judith Viorst's SAD UNDERWEAR offers a unique views of life through revisiting fairy tales with a 90's spin and creating thought-provoking verses that discuss childhood trauma, triumphs, and concerns. Certain poems, such as "Exploring"; "What Dads Do"; "It's a Wonderful World, but They Made a Few Mistakes"; or "See the Jolly Fat Boy," speak volumes to all audiences--young children to young-at-heart adults. Sweet and poignant, the book becomes a good gift for anyone approaching any of life's passages. A good companion piece would be Viorst's IF I WERE IN CHARGE OF THE WORLD AND OTHER WORRIES.

5.0 out of 5 stars Sad Underwear makes me happy, January 25, 2012

By 

Andrea Sapp (Anaheim Hills, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sad Underwear and Other Complications: More Poems fo Children and Their Parents (Paperback)

I bought this book for my classroom to help in teaching poetry. I love this book; it has a lot of interesting poems and I hope to use it when if I ever teach gen ed (I currently teach Special Education).

4.0 out of 5 stars introducing poetry, July 26, 2007

By 

Book Lover #52 "reader and teacher" (Ann Arbor, MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sad Underwear and Other Complications: More Poems fo Children and Their Parents (Paperback)

poetry to appeal to kids!

THis is the author who wrote _Alexander and the no good, very bad day_, which more people are familiar with-- and she's again struck the right chord with kids...