About the Author

The youngest in a family of nine children, Julie Gassman grew up in Howard, South Dakota. After college, she traded in small-town life for the world of magazine publishing in New York City. She now lives in southern Minnesota with her husband and their three children. Richard Watson has illustrated many children's books including the hilarious James Patterson Dog Diaries series, written by Junior, the first dog author to top the New York Times best-seller list. He mainly sits underneath the stairs drawing stuff and enjoys guitars, long walks in the woods, and spooky things. Richard is represented by The Bright agency.

Reviews

Oh my gosh. I totally love this book! I haven't laughed so hard in ages! This is the story about Roger. Roger is crabby, and when he gets crabby and does not-so-good things like draw on the wall, the rest of his family gets a bit crabby too. Well, Roger's older brother calls him a "crabby pants" and something clicks in wee Roger's brain. What happens afterwards is Roger's hilarious attempt at ridding himself and his family of crabby pants. I highly recommend this book; the perfect cure for crabby pants kind of days http: //readitagainmom.blogspot.com/2011/01/crabby-pants-by-julie-gassman.html-- "Read It Again Mom! Blog"

Growing up is hard to do. Roger and Janey (a cat and an alligator) share that feeling wholeheartedly. Roger has difficulty accepting when things don't go his way and crabs his way into a tantrum. With frustration and mischievousness, Roger fights back and ends up in the naughty chair again. Janey is tired of not being old enough to do anything fun, so she decides that she's not old enough for anything unfun either, like eating vegetables. Without missing a beat, her parents tell her that since she's still so little, she must not be ready for big girl school. In both stories, the characters struggle with the unfairness of life; a truth that is especially hard for small children. Students can easily see that Roger's and Janey's ideas and behavior are far from acceptable (although quite humorous), thus allowing the lessons of growing up to be more than just a lecture. The illustrations are colorful and fun, which enables even the youngest non-readers to enjoy the books. Recommended.-- "Library Media Connection"

In the first book, a kitten acts out when things don't go his way. When his older brother tells him not to be a "crabby pants," Roger doesn't take that well either. Then, while seated in the "naughty chair....Something clicked." Roger decides to solve his problem by turning his pants into shorts. Of course, that's not the end of the story. This tale will have children laughing, but also sympathizing with the young feline. The simple text teaches a lesson about tantrums and acceptance without being preachy, and the colorful cartoon illustrations depict a modern, stylishly dressed, humanlike cat family. This is a good choice for storytimes. In the second title, a young alligator does all sorts of "big girl" things like getting dressed and using the potty chair, but Janey wants to do "fun stuff" like taking a taxi and going shopping. When her parents tell her she's not yet ready, she decides that she's not big enough for "boring stuff" either, and refuses to clean her room or eat her vegetables. But when she has to consider that she may not be big enough for preschool, she has to make a decision. Children will feel sympathy when they see the wordless spread showing a close-up of Janey with tear-filled eyes. At first glance, with its charming cartoon illustrations, vibrant colors, and large pink text for emphasis, this book seems full of whimsy, but instead the predictable story reads a little like a lesson-- "School Library Journal"