In “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day,” the main character is Alexander.
Judith Viorst’s 1972 picture book follows Alexander through a day in which nearly everything seems to go wrong. He wakes with chewing gum in his hair, misses out on a cereal-box prize, has trouble at school, and decides he would rather move to Australia.
Alexander is the middle child between his brothers Anthony and Nick. The brothers were based on Viorst’s own sons, who share their names with the characters. The story’s humor comes from presenting ordinary childhood frustrations as a catastrophe while showing that bad days happen to everyone.
The title is sometimes associated with the 2014 Disney film, but that movie is a loose adaptation rather than a direct retelling. The book also inspired sequels, a stage musical, and a 1990 animated television special.