
Scowl by Steve Smallman focuses on the animals that live in Cupcake Wood. All the animals that live in the woods are very happy, all the animals except a grumpy little owl named Scowl. Scowl lives on the Grumpy branch and is never happy. Scowl is even grumpy in his sleep! One day the other animals in Cupcake Wood decide that they want to try and cheer Scowl up. The first plan is to try and give Scowl a happy hat. One little bird plops the happy hat down on Scowl’s head. Scowl throws the hat and tells the little bird to get lost. Next, a fluffy little bunny decides he will try singing a song to cheer Scowl up. Bunny starts strumming and singing with the other animals joining in but Scowl yells at them to STOP! Big bumbly bear tries to give Scowl a big hug but Scowl yells at bear to back off! Scowl yells at all the animals to just leave him alone and flies back to his grumpy branch. When Scowl gets to his branch another grumpy animal is already there! Sitting on the branch is the little bird that first tried to cheer Scowl up. He is very grumpy because Scowl broke his happy hat! Scowl felt very bad about breaking the little bird’s hat so he retrieves it from where he threw it.He gives it back to the little bird and says he is sorry. This cheers little bird up and the other animals ask what they can do to make Scowl happy. Scowl says being grumpy makes him happy and the other animals finally accept him for who he is and leave him alone.
You can get the book reviewed here and more great titles to watch, read, listen to, or play with at the Port Library at 1718 N. Hersey in Beloit, on the North Campus. This is director Rachel Malay, saying “Thanks for checking us out!”
Scowl by Steve Smallman
ISBN: 9781589251557, 24 p., full color illustrations
Children's Picture Books