From the creator of the beloved Large family comes a sympathetic—and simply hilarious—look at a toddler’s grocery-store tantrum.
One morning, Mom decides to take Roxy grocery shopping. “Roxy can help Mommy," she says cheerfully. Roxy makes a promising start, but when she squeezes the potato chip bag and rolls a can of beans across the floor, Mom is not pleased. “You’re not being very helpful, Roxy," she says, plunking the child back in the grocery cart. “Not very helpful," Roxy agrees. But being agreeable lasts only as far as the bakery aisle, where the need for a certain piggy-face cake spurs a level of high-decibel determination—and a display of headfirst acrobatics—that has onlookers staring in awe. With the signature humor that made Five Minutes’ Peace a classic, Jill Murphy escalates a toddler meltdown to its comical breaking point, leaving readers laughing and heaving a sigh of relief not to be driving (or riding in) that grocery cart.
Murphy's colored-pencil-and-pen illustrations augment the humor of her text, which hinges on the dialogue between Mom and Roxy. A slice-of-life toddler story that squarely maintains focus on the toddler. —Kirkus Reviews
Murphy's use of repetition (Roxy often echoes her mother's comments) and a mischievous ending—suffice it to say, the words "I'm sorry" never escape Roxy's lips—are just a few of the ways Murphy keeps her story true to life, as she suggests that sometimes the only way to beat a tantrum, as far as parents are concerned, is to suffer through it. —Publishers Weekly Online
Seeing Roxy plunge headfirst into the shopping cart while screaming, “GIVE ME THE PIGGY CAKE NOW!” will guarantee laughter from any group of parents and children. Murphy doesn’t forget to include the embarrassment on Roxy’s mom’s face and the horrified looks from onlookers, either. Tantrums happen, but somehow they are easier to deal with and better to laugh about and talk about in a book. —School Library Journal
Murphy’s illustrations, done in colored pencils and pens, are adept at showing ordinary scenes and frosting-covered chaos. The funny ending and over-the-top drama will sit just right with young readers. —Booklist Online
Jill Murphy (1949-2021) began drawing and writing stories at a very early age and was already putting books together (albeit with a stapler) by the time she was six. She was only eighteen when she wrote The Worst Witch. Her books about the lovable but disaster-prone Mildred Hubble sold more than five million copies worldwide and became much-loved classics. Jill Murphy also wrote and illustrated several award-winning picture books for younger children.
From the creator of the beloved Large family comes a sympathetic—and simply hilarious—look at a toddler’s grocery-store tantrum.
One morning, Mom decides to take Roxy grocery shopping. “Roxy can help Mommy," she says cheerfully. Roxy makes a promising start, but when she squeezes the potato chip bag and rolls a can of beans across the floor, Mom is not pleased. “You’re not being very helpful, Roxy," she says, plunking the child back in the grocery cart. “Not very helpful," Roxy agrees. But being agreeable lasts only as far as the bakery aisle, where the need for a certain piggy-face cake spurs a level of high-decibel determination—and a display of headfirst acrobatics—that has onlookers staring in awe. With the signature humor that made Five Minutes’ Peace a classic, Jill Murphy escalates a toddler meltdown to its comical breaking point, leaving readers laughing and heaving a sigh of relief not to be driving (or riding in) that grocery cart.
Praise
Murphy's colored-pencil-and-pen illustrations augment the humor of her text, which hinges on the dialogue between Mom and Roxy. A slice-of-life toddler story that squarely maintains focus on the toddler. —Kirkus Reviews
Murphy's use of repetition (Roxy often echoes her mother's comments) and a mischievous ending—suffice it to say, the words "I'm sorry" never escape Roxy's lips—are just a few of the ways Murphy keeps her story true to life, as she suggests that sometimes the only way to beat a tantrum, as far as parents are concerned, is to suffer through it. —Publishers Weekly Online
Seeing Roxy plunge headfirst into the shopping cart while screaming, “GIVE ME THE PIGGY CAKE NOW!” will guarantee laughter from any group of parents and children. Murphy doesn’t forget to include the embarrassment on Roxy’s mom’s face and the horrified looks from onlookers, either. Tantrums happen, but somehow they are easier to deal with and better to laugh about and talk about in a book. —School Library Journal
Murphy’s illustrations, done in colored pencils and pens, are adept at showing ordinary scenes and frosting-covered chaos. The funny ending and over-the-top drama will sit just right with young readers. —Booklist Online
Author
Jill Murphy (1949-2021) began drawing and writing stories at a very early age and was already putting books together (albeit with a stapler) by the time she was six. She was only eighteen when she wrote The Worst Witch. Her books about the lovable but disaster-prone Mildred Hubble sold more than five million copies worldwide and became much-loved classics. Jill Murphy also wrote and illustrated several award-winning picture books for younger children.
