Booklist Review
Viorst's classic children's book, Alexander and the Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (1972) was inspired by her youngest son. In this affectionate, laugh-out-loud memoir, illustrated with spot art of sippy cups and toys,Viorst anticipates some no-good days of her own when she and her husband agree to house the now-37-year-old Alexander, his wife, and his three young children for 90 days while the Alexander Five's house is renovated. With her typical warmth, self-deprecating insight, and sharp humor, Viorst describes the experience, beginning with her initial reservations: I felt delighted to see them . . . but I also felt, a bit, as if they were General Sherman's troops marching through my Civil War Atlanta. Viorst and her husband gamely embrace the chaos of three small children The spillage, both liquid and solid, is often torrential. The din and the demands go on nonstop and muse about parenting styles and the rigors of balancing marriage, kids, and career. Grandparents and empty nesters in particular will relish these messy, heartaching views of a loving family's rare, intergenerational closeness.--Engberg, Gillian Copyright 2007 Booklist
Library Journal Review
Readers will fondly remember the childhood escapades of Alexander as told by Viorst in Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, and now they can have a glimpse of his grown-up life. Viorst shares the experiences of temporarily sharing her home with her grown son (the Alexander of her book's title), daughter-in-law, and three of her grandchildren. Starting with the decision to shelter the "Alexander Five," Viorst makes little goals for herself and house rules for everyone. What follows is a light, humorous, and loving depiction of intergenerational living-stories of chaotic meals, rambunctious children, and ever-increasing clutter but most of all of adoration for her son and his family. Viorst adds quick reflections on her personal growth, her life, and her marriage, but for the most part the stories are delightful enough to stand alone. A chapter of Viorst's opinions on child rearing and another about other women in similar living situations add some breadth, but this material almost seems unnecessary in this light and brief work. Instead, readers will simply be entertained by sharing in the family's antics and by Laura Gibson's accompanying line drawings. Suitable for public libraries.-Erica L. Foley, Flint P.L., MI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
