Here's a simple story, very predictable, about a cat who is, as the title says, grumpy. A little kitten enters his life and, after some persistence on the kitten's part, helps him become un-grumpy. I told you it was simple. And painfully predictable. Didn't I say that too? Maybe not the painful part, but it is so. After the first two pages, you can figure out exactly what will happen in the story. (The cover illustration is also a dead giveaway.) Tickentrup leaves no room for discovery or interpretation. Why is he grumpy? Because he's lonely (isn't that the reason behind all grumpiness?). Why is he lonely? Because he "just doesn't know how" to join in the nightly cat playtime (poor misunderstood soul). Grumpy cat's grumpy facial expression doesn't change much, giving us a one-dimensional feel for his foul mood. There are no examples of grumpy behavior, so we really don't know why the other cats think he is grumpy, except that the author tells us they do. The story could stand a little more character development, and a lot less self-awareness of its moral purpose.
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