The Grouchy Ladybug- Review

Title—The Grouchy Ladybug
By- Eric Carle
Rating—4.5/5

This is the story about a Grouchy ladybug, which feels annoyed to share and wants to fight with someone who is bigger than him. The story begins at 5 am, when a Good ladybug goes in search of aphids and meets this Grouchy ladybug, who neglects the option of sharing aphids. The Grouchy ladybug tries to pick up a fight with the Good ladybug, and he feels that the Good ladybug is too small in size for him to fight. So he goes in search on creatures that are bigger than him.

As the time passes by, the Grouchy ladybug meets bigger creatures like, Praying Mantis , Sparrow, Hippo, Lobster, Elephant and so on. But he feels everyone is small to fight with him, though everyone is ready to fight. At last when he meets the whale….that is when he understands……..what it takes to fight

When my Mom first read this to me, I felt very excited because I was hearing about aphids for the first time…As I turned the pages I just couldn’t resist my excitement. I was excited to see, lobster with his claws, Rhino with his horns, the whale which was so huge….I was constantly thinking why the Grouchy ladybug thinks the other creatures to be small. When I questioned my Mamma, she said, “Wait till the end.”

I liked the whale the best, which simply kept quiet…..and suddenly it gave one whack to the Grouchy ladybug… I just burst out with laughter when my Mom read that.

The story ends with the Grouchy ladybug and Good ladybug sharing aphids and going to sleep. I felt so peaceful when the story ended like this and I was telling my Mom that if you don’t pick up fight with anyone we can be happy.

My mom replies back that, “Well, if you share and know how to lead a friendly life, it is fine. You can sometimes pick up fight with some Grouchy creatures, like how the whale did!!!!”

Difficult to understand my Mom’s logic, I just think that we should not fight with anyone!!!

6 Months Update

I am just 193 days old, but the whole house hold revolves around me, my habits, and my nap time. Poor grandparents, they are under my whims and fancies….After all I am Aryan’s brother right!!! Apart from managing my household, I can do the following:

I can recognize my Mom from any distance, even by her voice.

I can squeal with delight when I see Aryan Dada making faces and dancing for me.

I can sleep on one side and turn over often, but I have not mastered the ART of crawling.

I just try to sit; I no longer like to be in the sleeping position.

I can hold a rattle and look for it when it falls down.

Recently my Mom has started pushing the fortified semisolid food into my mouth. I am happy that atleast I am getting something to chew apart from drinking Milk.

Answers Please

I don’t share my toothbrush with anyone, I don’t share my towel with anyone, I don’t share my comb with anyone, then why should I share my Mamma with Arjun?

Why can’t I be a girl? Mamma can you get me one girl dress?

When will this Arjun become big and play cricket with me?

Why Papa came early today? Usually he comes at night right?

From where and why did you get me this Puff color. I thought you went to office. You got permission from you manager to go out of your classroom and get this color for me?

Do I Share Enough?

Every evening I take my bi-cycle and go down to play with my friends. We do cycling for a while and then play something different. When I am not riding my cycle, the watchman uncle’s kid rides it. When I asked my Mamma, she said it is fine to share.
When he touches my friend’s cycle, they just fight with him and don’t even allow him to touch it. Well, I have questioned my mamma about this behavior and she simply says, “The more you share the more you get from god. Now Santa Claus will be happy and he will give good gifts during the Christmas. So continue sharing.”

Off late my Mamma notices that I am not taking my cycle down. The reason is: I don’t get to play with it. As soon I take it down, the watchman uncle’s kid snatches from me and he rides. He doesn’t even ask me whether I am fine to share or not. Sometimes I am simply not fine to SHARE.

The other day, I felt very sad, when the watchman uncle’s son was not sharing my cycle with me. All kids were riding and I was watching them with my pet. (I have some soft toys, one toy invariably is the PET OF THE DAY.)




Aryan, “Mamma, I am sad. Sharing makes me feel unhappy.”

Mamma, “Ok Aryan, don’t worry. If you are unhappy, then don’t share. You should have the courage to tell him to just ride your cycle for a while, not always. Just don’t give him completely. Sharing also has a limit. I am just asking you to share “A little”.

I am seriously confused about what this “A little” sharing means, when the other kids don’t even share anything.

Just a Start..

I get up at 4 in the morning, make odd noises, turn over and push my Mom and brother from my cot. Typically, this is how my day begins. What else a 5 months old kid can do? I am not aware what my Mom expects from me!!!!

Aryan dada is very nice to me. But today morning, he also got irritated and started scolding me!!!! God knows what he said.

Well, not only in the mornings, during the day also I show my true colors. I am fully active and I DON’T SLEEP AT ALL….

Neither I play alone nor do I play with toys. I need someone to talk with me 24/7. At present my Baba (grandpa) is taking care of me. I think my Aayi and Baba are underestimating my capacity to trouble them. They think if I sleep during day, I am a good boy. Well, this is just a start…hope they stay till the end!!