The best picture books about crabby characters

We presume all animals love their habitat and their lot in life; birds love the sky, snakes love the grass, and bears, of course, love the woods. But not so much for the star of this book; a petulant little penguin who seems to have gotten up on the wrong side of the ice floe. He’s crabby about the too-white snow, the too-cold temperature, the too-salty sea, and his too-lookalike colony of penguin pals. Basically, everything makes him crabby, but in a way that’s amusing. After a day of carping, a wise walrus gives him a lecture about appreciating the beauty of his world and the love of his companions. This improves his attitude…for about two pages.

By the end of the book, the little grump is back to his old self, griping about the weather and the early darkness. It’s refreshing to see a character who doesn’t completely transform themselves overnight. Most of us are who we are, and, aside from the adjustments necessary to live happily with ourselves and others, we need to accept ourselves with a smile and, if necessary, a grumble.

Derwood the Goat is a fussy farmer who grumpily guards his garden against dandelions, pigweed, crabgrass, sapsuckers, and all manner of invaders, especially rabbits. So, when he catches a cute little bunny named Tabitha nosing around his vegetables, he’s very suspicious, and very crabby. Tabitha has one excuse after another, all delivered in delightfully pun-filled banter with Derwood, who’s having none of it. Tabitha finally offers to weed the garden while the exhausted Derwood dozes off in his rocking chair. When Derwood wakes up, the weeding is done, and he rewards Tabitha by sharing his harvest with her. In the end, everybody gets what they wanted: food, friendship, and nonstop nibbling. I love this story because it shows how humor, conversation, and cooperation can turn adversaries into friends.

A little girl must endure a weekend at a cabin with her mom who has to spend the day working remotely. This leaves the girl to her own devices – that being her Game Boy. Bored stiff and crabby, the girl takes her game outside where she happens upon a pond with rocks reminiscent of the digital Martians she’s been fighting. When she jumps on the rocks to destroy the “Martians,” her beloved electronic gadget drops into the drink. Forced to entertain herself in the analog world, she finds magic in the pond and beyond. There are Jell-O soft snails, a mini-forest of mushrooms, and holes full of natural treasures. After rolling down a hill in the rain, she discovers a world that “seemed brand new, as if it had been created right in front of me.” She immerses herself in this world, climbing trees, drinking raindrops, talking to birds, and collecting stones. On her way back to the cabin, she wonders to herself, “Why hadn’t I done these things before?” This book is a beautiful reminder of the redemptive power of nature.  

I love this book because the character doesn’t completely transform themselves, so it’s easier for us to relate to them. Scaredy Squirrel’s crabbiness comes in the form of fear, and he’s afraid of everything: tarantulas, green Martians, killer bees. You name it, Scaredy is pretty sure it’s right around the corner, so he’s always lugging around a kit full of antibacterial soap, band-aids, and, of course, a parachute. While he conquers his fears to get where he needs to go, it’s just enough to get to the next challenge. He doesn’t change his personality or turn into a superhero. He’s still a little afraid of everything, just like us. 

The protagonist in this lovely book, Taylor, is upset that his stack of blocks has been knocked over, so a host of animals try to help, but they’re more interested in giving advice than comfort. Finally, a rabbit comes by and listens. Just listens. This allows Taylor to explore, process, and surmount his feelings. It’s a great lesson in empathy for kids and adults alike.