"Sometimes I'm Sourpuss. I don't want to be here. I want to go home and I'm not coming back, ever.
And sometimes I'm Sweetie Pie. Can I stay all day, Poppy? We can play checkers and you don't even have to let me win."
I remember loving the first book about Nanna, Poppy and their beloved granddaughter (The Hello, Goodbye Window, which won the Caldecott Medal in 2006). If you can borrow it from the library, I think you will love it, too.
As she approaches the back door, Poppy is at the 'hello, goodbye' window, wondering who is coming for a visit. Is it Sweetie Pie, or is it Sourpuss this time? He is not sure he wants to open the door to Sourpuss. While they love their dear darling, they are not so enamored of her alter ego.
Most of the time she is a sweet one, bringing homemade gifts, asking for stories, and enchanting her grandparents. When Sourpuss emerges, no one is particularly happy and life becomes challenging for a time. As with many young children, she is struggling to assure her place and identity in this world. From page to page and minute to minute, changes take place and there is nothing to explain them. They just seem to happen, without provocation.
In the time it takes to snap your finger, she goes from giant hugs to even bigger tantrums, endearing conversations to food fits, soft reassurances to self-centered demands and refusals. As her mood changes, so does Chris Raschka's artwork. The gentle warmth of Sweetie Pie is earnestly contrasted with the dark and tumultuous moods of Sourpuss in both color and movement. At times, she can be both girls at once. First, it's 'I'm a little tired, Poppy. Can I have my bath and go to bed? and then, 'I don't have to go to bed until I want to and I'm not dirty so I'm not going to take a bath.' When sleep finally comes for all three, there is uncertainty about who might awaken in the morning. Here's hoping it's Sweetie Pie!
If you live with toddlers, or teenagers, this book might give you a lift and a laugh as it helps you realize that you are not alone. It is a great readaloud and offers listeners a chance to think about and discuss life with all of its pitfalls and joys.
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