Title: Major Grumpy Morning Man: Getting Ready for Work
Author: Jason Gobby
Publisher: XlibrisAU
ISBN: 978-1-7960-0189-1
Genre: Illustrated Children’s Book
Pages: 30
Reviewed by: Beth Adams
Pacific Book Review
Author Jason Gobby has created a very funny illustrated children’s book in Major Grumpy Morning Man: Getting Ready for Work.
From the moment of waking up, then dropping his toothbrush onto the floor getting it dirty with cobwebs; then eating his Wheaties and spilling the bowl of cereal and milk, having to clean up the kitchen floor; to loading his truck with tools, and getting sprayed with water from the hose – all causes Major Grumpy Morning Man to burst with frustrating emotions! His beautiful wife is just a moment behind each of these events and shrugs off the episode as being something he will find a way to work out.
We all know someone who is grumpy in the morning, and this book pokes fun at that type of character. Not inherently a bad person, but easily flustered with the little things which at times go wrong. Kids too can wake up grumpy for school, and Gobby’s book will help educate them by using Major Grumpy Man as an example of how not to react. The illustrations are perfectly matched to the story, the text and the theme. The book pages fluidly with a laughable character – the kind of person audiences often see on America’s Funniest Videos (AFV), where it’s funny because none of the misfortunes actually result in any harm.
In the genre of illustrated children’s book, Major Grumpy Morning Man: Getting Ready for Work stands out with its unique and creative theme, well-chosen words and characters, and many laughable images with details to highlight the frustration of the events. Events which to many people would be no big deal, but for Major Grumpy Morning Man, they are big issues indeed.
This book is definitely one in which children will reach for to be read the story over-andover, giggling and laughing at the sequence of frustrating failures. It just may help them not to become grumpy themselves, as the Major Grumpy Morning Man isn’t a role model as much as a plain and simple curmudgeon. This is a great book to add to any family library or as a gift for a birthday or special occasion. Who knows, perhaps sequels of Major Grumpy Morning Man may follow him throughout his day to showcase other misfortunes which will trigger his emotional outburst! All of which his beautiful wife will shrug off with saying “He will find a way to work it out.” The message in this book is powerful and communicated in a humorous, undidactic manner, in large part thanks to the deeply appealing, funny and poignant illustrations. It would be hard to find someone who couldn’t relate to Major Grumpy.
