When I was in elementary school, this book was in the library and became my favorite children's book. Have you ever had things happen in your house that you can't explain? Many think they have ghosts, but perhaps there is a Grumpus in your home. A small boy is accused of the messes that are in the house and punished by his mother when he told her that a Grumpus did it. An adorable book with great pictures and realistic themes of parent and child interaction. I highly recommend this book to your child's collection.

This was my son's favorite book when he was a child. I read it over and over to him. The Grumpus is a wonderful character, very impish and fun loving. Incidently my son never did any of the things the Grumpus did , or that was his excuse. He is in college now and still remembers this fun loving book.

A wonderful, mischievous picture and story book to read to small children

Sam, as you might guess, is a little lacking in the gray matter department. Why, the fellow is so addlepated that he carries an alarm clock instead of a wristwatch, and travels to town by attaching a sail to his truck.

Well, Mensa candidate or not he's still one of the nicest boys around. But, he would like to have some help with his brains so he consults Widder Woman who promises, "I got something that'll fix your noggin, boy. You ever hear tell of glue stew?"

Sam's pleased as he thinks that potion will glue his brains together. That's especially important now because Sam is smitten with Maizie, so taken with her that when he sees her he grins "like a possum in a peanut patch."

One problem is that Maizie's as smart as a whip, and Sam is not. Second problem is that Maizie topples into the pot of glue stew.

Young readers learn that even the most daunting obstacles can be overcome with courage, tenacity, and a heart of gold!

This book gives a very real flavor for the transitional time of Setember. From the feeling of new shoes, bookbags and backpacks of the first day of school. To the taste of fresh crisp apples you will reallly feel this time of the year.

I read this book to my 5th grade students. They enjoyed listening for the differences between life in 1990's and the various centuries. After hearing facts about a century, they were quick to point out how these had been incorporated into the beautiful illustrations. It can be difficult for 10-year-olds to understand how life in the past could be so different. Sometimes they take our modern conveniences for granted, and have difficulty imagining a different way of life. This book provided this information in a very interesting way. I especially enjoyed how, after weaving the distinct features of life at the turn of the century into the character's narrative, the author would then list them on the opposing page. This book was entertaining and informative.

... This is a great book-- the message is not feminist. ...[It's]about making your dreams come true versus waiting around for them to come true; about being sensible rather than trying to live a fairy tale. While Cinderella gets lucky, Cinder Edna makes her own luck. Cinderella cries at her misfortune and dreams of a prince to save her, but Cinder Edna makes lemonade out of her lemons, and also gets a prince.

The book is a little long for the younger set-- my four-year-old can barely sit through it unless I read it fast, hence the one objection I have about pronouncing "Cinder Edna".

I am a teacher, and I bought this book for my 3rd grade class when we were doing a unit on Cinderella. This is a fabulous take on the classic story, updated wonderfully. But some of the ideas had to be explained to my children because it was a lot to take in. They didn't get some of the jokes. In the end, I think that most of them got the general idea. The moral is a great lesson for kids these days.

This wonderful and funny version of the Cinderella story is about a girl with spunk, imagination and drive. She ends up happier than the girl who is pretty, but dependent and needy. It's a must-read for every young girl. I bought one for all my daughter, the school library and my friends' little girls.

This is a delightful book filled with zany monsters who come via a "Monster of the Month" club. The monsters provide their young owner with loads of entertainment at first, but soon they become quite a problem as the little boy's room overflows with unruly monsters. The havoc they wreck and the final solution for getting them under control make for great reading for young children. Adorable illustrations add to the fun!

This book is not nearly as good as the better version of this story, written by Geri Keams, called "Snail Girl Brings Water". Geri is a real Navajo storyteller, and knows Navajo and other Native American stories intimately. Also, her illustrations are less "new age". Give her a try!

This is a wonderful book that has received a number of awards. The main elements of the story are clearly in the public domain as they appeared in Franc Johnson Newcomb's NAVAHO FOLK TALES published in 1967. In the introduction to that book Franc Johnson says that the stories he collected were "common to every Navaho household." Others have used this material, as has Ms. Keams.