The hero of this picture book, Sam, has to wait for everything on the playground one day, and this makes him mad. “He got madder and madder until he was the maddest he had ever been in his whole life.” And then, suddenly, an unusual thing appears. It runs around, shoving and tripping and pinching and stomping, until all the other children have run away. “It was hanging upside down from the monkey bars, grinning at him. Sam had never seen anything like it before, but he knew what it was. It was a Temper.” At first, having a pet Temper is fun. But before long, the Temper starts causing trouble for Sam. And eventually, Sam comes to the realization that his Temper is something he needs to learn to control.

This funny but poignant title by Sangeeta Bhadra offers a perfect representation of just how frustrated and angry small children can get when circumstances in their lives make them feel helpless. Though never heavy-handed, Bhadra also manages to convey what the consequences can be when that anger takes over a child's behavior. The quirky yet stunning illustrations by Marion Arbona keep the emotional focus on the Temper, as a way to help children identify that their anger is not who they are. The emphasis on feelings makes this a terrific tie-in for character education lessons on self-discipline and taking responsibility for your actions, as well as on patience and perseverance when solving your own problems.

Sangeeta Bhadra studied biology in university, but couldn't resist her lifelong love of writing stories for children. Sam's Pet Temper is her first picture book. She lives in Brampton, Ontario.

Sangeeta Bhadra's profile page

After obtaining a diploma in film animation at Les arts Décoratifs de Paris, French artist Marion Arbona started working as an illustrator for children’s books. Her illustrations, painted with gouache, are colorful and funny. She likes to draw fully detailed scenes. When she is not drawing, she is particularly interested in deep sea fish, cats (even though she is allergic) and weird plants. Marion was awarded several illustration prizes in the USA and in Canada where she lived for 10 years. She returned to live in Paris in 2015.

Marion Arbona's profile page

• Short-listed, Blue Spruce Award, Ontario Library Association

Debut author Sangeeta Bhadra explores the subject of anger with honesty and humour ... the book is perfect for sparking conversations abut negative emotions and how to keep them in check.—Quill & Quire

Debut author Bhadra shows she can build a compelling narrative arc, and her ending is knowing and funny​ ... Arbona's expressionistic drawings have a fever-dream vividness.—Publishers Weekly

... this book is a great read-aloud and discussion starter for social emotional learning and self-regulation.—Resource Links

Sam's Pet Temper

by carolibrarian