It Could Always Be Worse

A Yiddish Folk Tale

Margot Zemach; Pictures by the author

Square Fish

Download Image Margot Zemach; Pictures by the author It Could Always Be Worse
Award
  • Caldecott Honor Book
Buy it now

Available Formats

Book
Once upon a time a poor unfortunate man lived with his mother, his wife, and his six children in a one-room hut.

Because they were so crowded, the children often fought and the man and his wife argued. When the poor man was unable to stand it any longer, he ran to the Rabbi for help.

As he follows the Rabbi's unlikely advice, the poor man's life goes from bad to worse, with increasingly uproarious results. In his little hut, silly calamity follows foolish catastrophe, all memorably depicted in full-color illustrations that are both funnier and lovelier than any this distinguished artist has done in the past.
 
It Could Always Be Worse is a 1977 New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book of the Year and Outstanding Book of the Year, and a 1978 Caldecott Honor Book.

Connect with the Author

Sign Up for
Author Updates

Macmillan Newsletter

Sign up to receive information about new books, author events, and special offers.

Sign up now

Reviews

Praise for It Could Always Be Worse

The familiar tale of the simple villager whose house was so crowded and noisy, he went to the Rabbi for help. . .Never has the tale been made into a picture book of such beauty and gusto." --Starred, The Horn Book

Reviews from Goodreads

Back

About the Author

Margot Zemach; Pictures by the author

Margot Zemach

Back

Buy the Book

Available Formats and Book Details

It Could Always Be Worse
A Yiddish Folk Tale
Margot Zemach; Pictures by the author
Award

American Library Association Notable Children's Books, Caldecott Honor Book, New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Books of the Year, New York Times Outstanding Books of the Year, Horn Book Magazine Fanfare List

Trade Paperback

Trade Paperback
Square Fish
September 1990
Trade Paperback
ISBN: 9780374436360
ISBN10: 0374436363
Picture Book
10 x 9 inches, 32 pages, Full-color illustrations throughout
Age Range: 3 and up
Grade Range: p and up Information for Librarians

Information for Librarians


Lexile: AD650L
AR Quiz Number: 74623
AR Book Level: 0.9
AR Points: 0.5

$7.99
Buy
Back

From The Publisher

Square Fish

Latest on Facebook

Latest on Twitter

Back

{ About }

{ Services }

{ Store }

{ Publishers }

Education

Children's

© 2011 Macmillan