Product Description

Alexander is not going to leave his best friend Paul. Or Rachel, the best babysitter in the world. Or the Baldwins, who have a terrific dog named Swoozie. Or Mr. and Mrs. Oberdorfer, who always give great treats on Halloween. Who cares if his father has a new job a thousand miles away? Alexander is not -- Do you hear him? He Means it! -- going to move.

Alexander's back, facing another of childhood's trials and tribulations with Judith Viorst's trademark humor and keen sense of what's important to kids.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #122037 in Books
• Published on: 1998-08-01
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 32 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Twenty-three years after Alexander's first appearance, in Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, the hapless character makes a gratifying return... with a new gripe. His family is moving 1000 miles away and he does not want to go: "Never. Not ever. No way. Uh uh. N.O." Roaming the neighborhood, he takes a look at his "special places" and bids good-bye to all his "special people," announcing that "I'm saying good-bye-but it won't be my last." By story's end-after he lets some reassuring promises from his parents sink in-Alexander softens his tone, conceding that he, too, is packing up his things, but for the final time. Because next time his family relocates, "I'm not-DO YOU HEAR ME? I MEAN IT!-going to move." Alexander's voice belongs at once to him alone and to every child. Glasser admirably fulfills her stated mission to illustrate this tale "in the style of" Ray Cruz, the artist for the previous Alexander books. Her black-and-white drawings comically capture real events as well as those that occur only in Alexander's animated imagination. Facial expressions and body language are right on target. Hope Alexander finds a new complaint. Soon. Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 3?Alexander is back. This time he refuses to move 1000 miles away from his best friend, his soccer team, and the cleaners that saves gum wrappers and old teeth if he leaves them in his pockets. He is sure he can stay, perhaps with the family that has six girls and needs a boy, or with the older couple that has a dog. As friends give Alexander going-away presents and his parents suggest that he might be able to call long distance on occasion and maybe even get a dog, he begins to pack. This Alexander shows a different emotion from the angry child in ...the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good Very Bad Day (1972), or the sad one ...Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday (1978, both Atheneum). This defiant Alexander is positively not going to move, "No Way. Uh uh. N.O." Pen-and-ink drawings in the style of Ray Cruz's work bond readers to this new Alexander while adding to the story. Youngsters will enjoy the range of feelings here. They will relate to the older brothers' teasing even as they laugh at the humor, will heartily support Alexander's rebellion against his parents, and will also appreciate the adults for letting him come around on his own terms. A terrific read-aloud and a must-buy for every collection.?Betty Teague, Blythe Elementary School, Greenville SC
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Gr. 4^-8. Alexander in Viorst's classic 1972 story was having a very bad day. Now he's snarling and scowling because he has to move; his father has a new job 1,000 miles away. Alexander swings between anguish and fury. He will not move. He won't pack. His parents try to be sympathetic; his brother Nick calls him a puke face; his brother Anthony says he's immature. Alexander broods about what he'll miss. He remembers. He fantasizes that he'll hide and stay behind. The detail of the crosshatched drawings, the particularity of the examples, the cadence of the child's voice, express the depth of his feelings. He's bowed with sorrow when he has his last school lunch with his best friend: we see that Alexander's sandwich is untouched. Then gradually, a few images of the new home creep in. Dad promises Alexander a dog, and reluctantly he begins to pack. This story of being uprooted is being told in children's books all the time now, but there's a rare combination here of farce and immediacy and a wonderful empathy for the child's point of view. Alexander just can't bear it. Kids will laugh at the wild exaggeration even as they recognize his heartfelt grief. Hazel Rochman

Customer Reviews

The real reality book
Judith Viorst speaks the thoughts of a young person so truthfully that my children/grandchildren just love Alexander books. Our seven year old granddaughter just moved to a new neighborhood, new school, new everything. I sent this book to her and she wrote me a thank you note telling me how much she loves Alexander because he knew how she felt. She said, "he was really mad" and it helped her realize it was normal for her to have those angry feelings, too. But, he settles in and so has she. Kids need to know that negative feelings are normal under some situations. Judith V's books are humorous and the lessons they teach are subjects kids relate to, but she doesn't preach. She just brings out another side to look at.

She likes it!
Nicely written and my five year old who DID NOT want to move thoroughly enjoys it. As a parent I was kind of looking for a happy ending, but it was only alluded to and I'm not sure my daughter actually understood the happy ending. At least, I'm not going to buy her a dog just because we moved.

Judith Viorst comes up with another great Alexander story
"Alexander And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" is an absolute classic of children's literature, even if I have heard Judith Viorst's story done way too often at speech tournaments. The idea of feeling so mad or sad that you want to move to Australia remains one of the great punch lines. In "Alexander's Not (Do You Hear Me? I Mean It!) Going to Move" she comes up with a story almost as good. Alexander might talk about moving to Australia, but when his mom and dad tell him that the family is moving to a new home a thousand miles away he decides that he is not going to move. He is not even going to pack.

His father might have a new job a thousand miles away and there might be a new house a thousand miles away but Alexander does not care. Right next door to the new house there might be a boy who is the same age of his brother Anthony and down the street there might be a boy the same age as his brother Nick, but Alexander figures that there is probably nobody for a thousand miles who is his age. He will never have a best friend like Paul again or a great sitter like Rachel. Alexander has a long, long list of favorite friends and special places that he will never have again if he moves. Therefore, he is not packing. Never. Not going to happen.

"Alexander's Not (Do You Hear Me? I Mean It!) Going to Move" is illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser, who pointedly does so in the style of Ray Cruz, who first illustrated Alexander in print and who was unable to complete the work on this endeavor. This book might come in second to the original tale, but for any kid who has to deal with the trauma of moving (as an Air Force Brat my family moved a half-dozen times when I was growing up) this story will ring true and help put things in perspective. Final Note: I was surprised to read that Judith Viorst has three sons named Anthony, Nicholas, and Alexander. This must have made for an interesting household. I wonder what happened to Alexander when he grew up. Maybe he moved to Australia.