Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Plot

Alexander is a young boy who endures a string of misfortunes throughout his day, starting when he wakes up with gum in his hair. His older brothers find prizes in their cereal boxes, while Alexander does not. In the carpool on the way to school, Alexander does not get a window seat. At school, Alexander faces criticism from his teacher, his best friend replaces him with two other friends, and he finds that his mother neglected to put a dessert in his lunch bag.

When school is over, a dentist's appointment reveals a cavity in Alexander's mouth. At the shoe store, Alexander is forced to buy plain white sneakers. When the family goes to pick up Alexander's father from his office, Alexander's restless behavior makes the father request not to be picked up anymore. Back at home, Alexander is served lima beans for dinner, sees kissing on TV, and is made to sleep in train-themed pajamas, all of which he hates.

A running gag in the story is Alexander's desire to escape his troubles by moving to Australia. His mother tells him that everybody has bad days, regardless of where they live.

TV adaptation

On September 15, 1990, the book was adapted into a 29-minute animated musical television special that was produced by Klasky Csupo and aired on HBO in the United States.

While the special is mostly true to the book, the following differences are:

Aside from the running gag of Alexander making references to Australia, there is another in the special: he searches everywhere for his favorite yo-yo, a purple one that glows in the dark.

Alexander has red hair instead of orange.

Alexander often wears a sad face instead of a grumpy one. He also smiles more times in the special than in the book.

Dad has no mustache (as if he had shaved in the morning) and has brown hair instead of blonde.

Anthony and Nick's hair colors, blonde and brown, have switched places.

Nick wears glasses.

Mom does not wear a bandanna.

The cat (who wants to sleep with Anthony instead of Alexander) is unnamed in the book. However, in the television special, the cat's name is Timothy.

Phillip Parker and Albert Moyo's skin colors, black and white, have switched places.

Audrey is replaced with Margaret.

Anthony and Nick join the car ride.

Instead of Anthony deliberately pushing Alexander in the mud like in the book, Anthony and Nick lunge out at Alexander, laugh at him, and mimic his pain (by hopping on one foot). Also, Alexander accidentally bumps into Anthony, loses his balance, and falls.

Cast

Danny Tamberelli as Alexander (speaking voice)

Todd Defreitas as Alexander (singing voice)

Joey Rigol as Nick

Devon Michaels as Anthony

Linda Wallem as Mom

Steve Barton as Dad

Stephanie Maddin as Mrs. Dickens

William Bogert as Dr. Fields

Skip Hinnant as Shoe Salesman

Ashley Carin as Girl #1

Erin Torpey as Girl #2

Buddy Smith as Paul

Daniel Riefsnyder as Phillip Parker

Z. Wright as Albert Boyo

Other media

In 1998, Viorst and the Kennedy Center joined together to turn the book into a musical production. Charles Strouse wrote the music, Viorst wrote the script and lyrics, and the musical score was composed by Shelly Markham. The productions have been performed around the country.

Other characters in it are Audrey, Becky, and many others.

In 2004, a stage adaptation was run at the B Street Theatre.

Characters

Alexander and his two older brothers, Anthony and Nick, are based on Viorst's own three sons of the same names. However, the film changed Nick to Emily, replacing the brother with a sister, and adds Trevor as well.

Cultural references

The phrase "terrible, horrible, no good, very bad . . ." has become an Internet meme, often used by bloggers, and sometimes by mainstream media, to criticize, or characterize setbacks for, an individual or political movement.