"Grumpy Dad" is a series of picture books geared at children aged 3-6 that follows the goings-on in the Terwilliger family, as told by Molly, age 4. Molly, along with her baby brother Nicky, her father Tom and her mother Carol are a typical family faced with the typical challenges of any household. Molly is an inquisitive, rambunctious and loquacious girl with a wild imagination, who loves tea parties as much as mud fights in the yard. She’s a good kid, but trouble seems to follow her, much to her dad’s chagrin and subsequent grumpiness.
What makes this series special is its focus on the father, who's as lovable as he is grumpy. Tom Terwilliger's fatherly challenges provide the structure of each story, and the ongoing impetus for Molly’s attempts to figure out what makes this large, and occasionally ornery, occupant of the Terwilliger house tick. Molly’s keen, albeit skewed, 4-year-old observations of her dad’s uniquely dad-like behavior will delight children and grown-ups alike.
ILLUSTRATOR NICK GUARRACINO
With a company named “Grumpy Boy Studios,” it seemed like kismet that Nick should illustrate the Grumpy Dad series. After some begging and groveling on Tom's part, Nick "Grumpy Boy" Guarracino, who is actually a very pleasant guy, agreed to take time from his busy design business and join Team Grumpy. We couldn’t be more thrilled to have Nick illustrating the Grumpy Dad books!