When her sister succumbs to a mood that makes the whole family feel topsy-turvy, Vanessa paints a wonderful imaginary place--a beautiful garden complete with a ladder and a swing--in a story loosely based on the writer Virginia Woolf and her artist sister, Vanessa Bell.

"Prepare to fall absolutely in love with this irresistible cookie, crumbly chocolate chips and all. OH NO! Barbra the cactus won't stop playing her recorder, the yummy strawberry toothpaste has run out, and now--to top it all off--Cookie has to have his hair cut! Which all makes for one VERY ANGRY little cookie... But perhaps you, the reader, can find a way to turn his grumpy frown upside down?"--

Edgar's bad mood begins as something small, but before long it grows, gathers strength, and sweeps through the entire town.

"The Grouchy Ladybug feels less grouchy once her friends show her how nice love can be"--

As an old man grumbles his way through a rainy morning, spreading gloom, his neighbor, a young child, spreads cheer while hopping through puddles in frog-themed rainwear.

On a gloomy day, Duck feels sad until a frog gives him some advice that cheers him up.

When a grizzly bear, called Gruff the Grump by other animals, grudgingly listens to a small rabbit's pleas for help, she thanks him with simple gifts that reveal to him how dark and lonely his life has become.

Duck is grumpy in light of the fact that the pond is dry, so when she complains to her friends, they each welcome her to play with them.

"A young elephant sees his dad is in a bad mood and tries to cheer him up, not realizing his own mischief caused the bad mood in the first place"--

Gus the dog doesn't like Christmas. He doesn't like carols, or cake, or Christmas jumpers. And he certainly doesn't like mistletoe. To Gus, a tree is only good for one thing, and it's not for hanging baubles on. But can everyone's favorite grump learn to love the season of goodwill?