For this February’s birthday, I’m picking Judith Viorst.

Why I picked her: You may have noticed a theme amongst the authors I enjoy…I like to laugh.

Enter Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. I discovered the book when I first read it to my (much) younger siblings. I was in my late teens, and it made me laugh so hard that it became an instant favorite. As much as it’s meant for kids, anyone who has had a bad day can identify with Alexander. This book is a go-to on my “books to give friends with young kids” list.

The book is likely available at your local bookstore and/or library. Next time you’re out and about, it’s worth having a quick read. Although I gotta warn you that you may wind up giggling in public.

Judith also writes for adults. She has a series of poetry books called “Decades” that are hilarious. Each book covers a decade of life, e.g., How Did I Get to Be Forty? and Forever Fifty (and other negotiations). They poems have lines like “It’s hard to be devil-may-care/When there are pleats in your derrière.” (I gigglesnorted when I read that.) She writes nonfiction as well.

Have you read Alexander or any of Judith’s other books? What did you think?