I bought this because the main character is a selfless little deaf girl named Lydia. It's a sweet story but for the older child.

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Product Description

Dogs bark, children scramble out of the way, and adults hurry to clear the streets of Dinkerwink for Mr. McCurry Brogan Howlweister, the crotchety old man who comes into town every Thursday to buy his weekly supplies. His constant scowl and legendary ill-temper have earned him the nickname "the Grump." Dinkerwinkians big and small, young and old, and four-legged and feathered all try to avoid him as much as possible. That is, all Dinkerwinkians except little Lydia. Although Lydia cannot hear or speak, her powers of observation and the compassion she has for others are obvious. She has never heard anyone call Mr. McCurry Brogan Howlweister "the Grump" and simply sees him as the man with the upside-down smile, a man who needs a friend to help turn it right-side up. This story of compassion and love in action will delight children and families with its richly detailed illustrations and eccentric characters.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #63484 in Books
• Published on: 2000-09-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 32 pages

From School Library Journal

Gr 2-4-In the village of Dinkerwink, the wealthy Mr. McCurry Brogan Howlweister has long been referred to as "the Grump." The streets clear on Thursday when he does his weekly shopping at the store run by the parents of Lydia, a little deaf girl, a "picture of innocence" who "knew the sweetness of love." One by one, small gifts arrive on the Grump's doorstep. He catches Lydia leaving the third gift, her beloved doll, and is reformed. Ludy's luscious illustrations surpass his well-intentioned text. Rich with detail (check out the book titles in the man's house), color, and texture, the art invites a second look while the text has a cloying simplicity. The Grump could be read to groups wishing to explore the power of kindness to cure curmudgeons.-Jody McCoy, The Bush School, Seattle, WA

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About the Author
Mark Ludy is the author and illustrator of The Farmer. He lives in Longmont, Colorado.

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Customer Reviews

Wonderful Grump
I had the opportunity to get my hands on a copy of this book and I must say that the story is wonderful. The illustrations are some of the richest I have ever seen in a children's book. My favorite part of this book is how delightful searching for the mouse is. I understand that this is a signature illustration of Mr.Ludy's books and I must say after having handed this book around my work, the mouse is fun for children AND adults of all ages.

Kids Love It; A Future Classic?
Acknowledged, the "children's market" is huge, and the number of titles (that is, good titles) cranked out every month is overwhelming. That stated, Ludy's books may be worthy of "future classic" status - based on the artwork alone. The use of bright and playful color, depth, and warm old world imagery make this book (and Ludy's "The Farmer") delightful viewing. The story is a good moral story about compassion and kindness (same with "The Farmer"). As another commenter mentioned, the length of the book (that is, the number of words on every page) can look a little intimidating - particularly when you are tired and you were hoping for something in the range of Hop on Pop. But this is a consistent crowd-pleaser and worth the time.

Great Book Teaching Acceptance
This book seemed long when I considered it for my active 5 year old and I debated his ability to sit through it. He was hanging on my every word and was touched by the message sent by the book. This is not a silly story it is a tool to teach with. It is a life lesson that needs to be learned put to a beautiful story and the illustrations are wonderful! We went to the library today to get The Farmer also by Mark Ludy and I am sure it will be just as great! These are a great gift idea!