If you stepped into most primary classrooms on Friday afternoon, say around 3:00, you’d likely think that civilized society is more or less coming to an end. Kids and teachers have managed to keep it together for 4 and 3/4 days and everyone’s pretty much exhausted and/or giddy and/or grouchy.
At moments like these I sort of understand what makes teachers want to turn off the lights and get the kids to sit down and put their heads on their desks in total and complete silence. Si – lence! There are some Friday moments when the urge to shout “STOP THE INSANITY!” is almost impossible to suppress.
Instead, I reach a shaking hand into my “don’t touch these special books” bin, in search of a story to remind me why hanging out with kids is one of my favorite things to do.
SMART LIST #7: Books for Giddy/Grumpy Kids and their Teachers
(Note: these books work any day of the week, anytime, on most mid-sized munchkins. Some already seem to have lost touch with their sense of humor. All the more reason to read on!)
Runny Babbit – Shel Silverstein
What are you so grumpy about? – Tom Lichtenheld
Scaredy Squirrel – Melanie Watt
What Pete Ate – Maira Kalman
Wolves – Emily Gravett
Traction Man is Here! – Mini Grey
The Big, Bad Wolf and Me – Delphine Perret
Miss Nelson is Missing – Harry G. Allard
The Incredible Book-Eating Boy – Oliver Jeffers
Grumpy Bird – Jeremy Tankard
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type – Doreen Cronin
Diary of a Wombat – Jackie French
Russell the Sheep – Rob Scotton
Shelf Elf: read, write, rave. 
I have a grumpy kid and wrote him a little story called “The Bumpy, Grumpy Road.” I was stunned when I read it to him- and he cried, and said, “That’s me Mommy!” Sometimes we all need help getting off that grumpy road. You can check out the book at http://www.ThreeBirdsBooks.com