Strengthen Your Family by Spending Time Together
Strengthen Your Family by Spending Time Together

Maya Was Grumpy Picture Book

Maya Was Grumpy is a beautiful picture book about a girl who is grumpy and how her grandmother makes her happy.

NOTE: I was given a copy of this book to review but all of my opinions are my own.

Colorful. Rich. Bright. Cute. Beautiful. Magnificent. Resplendent. Fun. Humorous. Clever. Outstanding — and a whole slew of other similar adjectives that I could find in Roget’s Thesaurus if I weren’t so lazy . . .

All of these words describe the wonderful book Maya Was Grumpy.

Courtney Pippin-Mathur wrote and illustrated this delightful book. So talented! Her watercolor pictures are a kaleidoscope of swirling color. The details in the book are charming. Pay close attention to the teeth in this book . . . especially the spiders’ teeth — and to Grandma’s bug-out eyes. (For some reason, Grandma’s eyes tickle my funny bone  . . . )

Spoiler alert. You’re gonna find out how this book ends. If that gives you a conniption fit, well . . . I’m sorry.

Maya woke up grumpy.

Maya Was Grumpy is a beautiful picture book about a girl who is grumpy and how her grandmother makes her happy.
Maya Was Grumpy is a beautiful picture book about a girl who is grumpy and how her grandmother makes her happy.

She didn’t know why she was grumpy. (I love how the author described Maya’s grumpiness as ‘crispy, cranky.’ Isn’t that a fresh description?)

Notice that as she grumps around the house, Maya’s hair gets just as out of control as she is.

When she clumped into the kitchen, Grandma observed, “Feeling a bit grumpy today?”

Whoa! Look at that hair!

Maya Was Grumpy is a beautiful picture book about a girl who is grumpy and how her grandmother makes her happy.

Grandma went on to say that because Maya was grumpy she couldn’t hunt for hippos, put her head in a crocodile’s mouth, bathe baby elephants, tickle tarantulas, slide down a giraffe’s neck, or swing with some monkeys.

As Grandma mentioned all of these preposterous activities, Maya’s attitude started to soften until a bubbly giggle escaped her lips and Maya hugged Grandma.

Huzzah! Grandma had coaxed Maya out of her grumpy mood.

She fixed Maya’s hair (that is now miraculously back to normal — and adorably curly), packed a snack, and they headed out to the park where they found that hippo, crocodile, elephant, tarantula, giraffe, and monkey.

Can you find them in this picture?

Maya Was Grumpy is a beautiful picture book about a girl who is grumpy and how her grandmother makes her happy.


And Maya felt much better.

Maya Was Grumpy is a beautiful picture book about a girl who is grumpy and how her grandmother makes her happy.


This book captured my heart. I’m sure that it will capture any grandma’s heart who had to deal with a grumpy grandchild — and the hearts of grandchildren.

And, you know, in the event that one of your grandchildren is ever grumpy (but I’m SURE that would never happen because your grandchildren are absolutely, positively perfect, right?) you could use this book to help your grandchild get rid of the grumpies.

Two thumbs up, to the author/illustrator!!

You can get a copy of this book on Amazon for $15.

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