Finn Throws a Fit, written by David Elliott and illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering. Candlewick, Random House, 2009. $20.00 ages 3 and up

"Finn likes peaches.
Usually.
But today, Finn doesn't like peaches.
Today, Finn doesn't like anything."

Check out the cover for a real feeling about Finn and his take on today. He is disgruntled, disturbed, and determined. Even his dog is wondering what is about to happen! What do you think Finn is thinking? What's up?

The quote at the beginning of this post are the opening lines of this great book. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what is going on here. Any parent who has lived with, or is living with, a two year old can guess what kind of day it's going to be!

An overturned plate of peaches greets readers on the title page, as well as smudged lettering and messy background colors. Move on to the heart of the story and we meet Finn, a smiling countenance, a hand-held peach...apparent satisfaction. Nothing is further from the truth and no matter what Mom and Dad do to encourage him to eat his snack, Finn is having none of it. It doesn't take much for it all to fall apart. He won't look at his parents, he boots a ball while walking under a fierce thundercloud. Even his security blanket is no help.

As the cloud expands and gains momentum, so does Finn. He slams the nursery door! Thunder in his bedroom is followed by 'lightning in the kitchen' and the fit is in full throttle. The house is flooded with tears. He screams, kicks, and carries on until everyone has had enough! Then, when it's done, it is over.

"The waters dry up.
The winds die down.
The snows melt."

All is well...until the next time!

David Elliott knows tantrums, and he seems to know that there is no known cause. He must have memories of his own, or first-hand recent experience. When text and art work together as they do in this book, you get what we are always looking for...a perfect picture book! The art is done in oils, charcoal and grease pencil and the artist uses every one admirably to create the chaos that is Finn's fit. It carries the reader along through the whirlwind of time it takes for the tantrum to be as suddenly over as when it began.

Let the talk begin. What might have caused Finn's fit? Do you remember ever having such a tantrum? What caused yours? What stopped it? Might it happen again?