The Good-Bye Book - Softcover

Judith Viorst

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0780788575 ISBN 13: 9780780788572

Publisher: Perfection Learning, 1992

Synopsis

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.

About this title

About the Author

Judith Viorst was born and brought up in New Jersey and now lives in Washington, DC. Her books include the beloved Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, and its many companion books; adult fiction and nonfiction including the New York Times bestseller, Necessary Losses; poetry for children and adults, and four musicals. Her most recent book of poetry for children, What Are You Glad About? What Are You Mad About? was published in 2016. Lulu Is Getting a Sister is the fourth book in the Lulu series.

From Publishers Weekly

A small boy begs, wheedles and worries through his parents' preparations to leave for the night without him. He tells them about the horrors of baby-sitters: "I hate baby-sitters. They could make you eat vegetables. . . . They could make you go to the bathroom before you go to bed even when you don't have to. I didn't say they did. I said they could." Right after that, he launches into symptoms of what he believes to be a fatal illness, requests in vain that his parents read him a poem and warns them that he won't be telling them "good morning" the next day if they stick to their plans to go out. Viorst delivers this soliloquy with just the right amount of lamenting and fussing; the child makes his parents feel terrible that they've chosen a French restaurant over his company. Chorao's pictures soothe away the anger of the words by showing the parents' concerned looks, their hugs and kisses as they leave, and the friendly baby-sitter who seems to promise, wordlessly, an evening of fun. Ages 3-6.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Perfection Learning
• Publication date: 1992
• ISBN 10: 0780788575
• ISBN 13: 9780780788572
• Binding: Paperback
• Illustrator: Kay Chorao