We just never know which one it will be: Sourpuss or Sweetie Pie. Will she be combative and in a bad mood? Or will she be cooperative and loving? Will she be angry or have hurt feelings so she'll pout? Or will she want hugs to make it better and make things to show her love for others? The story follows a little girl who visits her grandparents and explains that sometimes she just doesn't know who it's going to be. She may feel happy and be sweet (Sweetie Pie), or may feel frustrated and be naughty (Sourpuss). The feelings theme is woven into the plot, and the setting of being at her grandparents' house is well established early on in the story. It is apparent she is spending time with them and the illustrations do well to demonstrate where she is and the differences of emotions that Sourpuss and Sweetie Pie have throughout the story. The illustrations are a hit with young readers, as they appear to be childlike and drawn with crayon. There isn't a lot of character development beyond the emotions she's feeling, but the plot does unfold in a way that allows readers to see why she would be a Sourpuss or a Sweetie Pie during any of the given circumstances.
Genre: Picture book, Contemporary realistic fiction (children can relate to the character's feelings and reactions and quick change of moods),
Media: My guess is crayon and watercolors. ( )

This is a sister book to [b:The Hello, Goodbye Window|16963|The Hello, Goodbye Window|Norton Juster|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327894695s/16963.jpg|18603] and again it's about the relationship between a little girl and her grandparents. Although I like the message and I love the art, I suspect that a child may have a hard time with both. The impressionistic pictures are a little abstract in parts and the story line is not quite linear and to make it worse it's a bit rambling. My kid struggled a bit comprehending why there were so many copies of the same little girl on the pages. But, unless you're just really not into this illustration style, the art is quite fun and interesting, making it definitely worthwhile. I for myself like these two books a lot better than [b:A Ball for Daisy|9703979|A Ball for Daisy|Chris Raschka|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1333577914s/9703979.jpg|14592198], which I never quite understood, and the pictures are also more rich than the ones in [b:Yo! Yes?|246936|Yo! Yes?|Chris Raschka|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1360058325s/246936.jpg|1715180] (that we actually like a lot). ( )

Too much of an initially cute thing here. Fun artwork, but I grew weary of this little girl, and wanted to send her to her room to stay. (Maybe that was the point.) ( )

In the child narrator's interactions with her Nanna and Poppy, we get an honest picture of real childlike honesty and temperament. She goes between sourpuss and sweetie pie and recognizes how she inhabits both identities. The honesty between the narrator and her grandparents is enduring, even if readers may hope she find more control over her emotions or at least apologize for the way she treats her grandparents. ( )

Sourpuss and Sweetie Pie is another beautifully illustrated book by Chris Raschka. Emotions are shown through two side of the little girl. ( )