I Am Not Happy! - (Critter Complaints) by Caroline L Perry (Hardcover)

About the Book

"An adorable quokka is not as happy as they look"--

Book Synopsis

In the vein of Grumpy Monkey and Unicorns Are the Worst!, this hilarious picture book introduces the adorable quokka, who--despite his ever-present smile--is definitely not as happy as he looks!

With its bright eyes, puffy cheeks, and beaming smile, the quokka is clearly the happiest animal on earth. Or is it? This quokka is here to tell you...he is not happy! At least not all the time. Just like everyone else, he can be sulky, or sorry, or sad; but you'd never know from the look on his face! So, what's a moody marsupial to do when he's being misunderstood? Teach every other animal from kangaroos to koalas not to judge a critter by its cover!

Review Quotes

A Kids' Indie Next List Pick
An Imagination Soup's Best Picture Books for Kids of 2025

". . .a perfect melding of author and artist. *chef's kiss*" --Betsy Bird, School Library Journal's A Fuse #8 Production

"Sure to inspire a grin in even the grumpiest animal lover, Perry's amusing text is well suited to Hanson's impish artwork; both are suffused with a delightfully Pixar-esque comedic sweetness. Silly, cute, and lightly infused with a lesson on environmental respect."--Kirkus Reviews

"The quokka's narration is delightfully over-the-top ('Behind my twinkling smile lies an ocean of inner torment'), and the juxtaposition of his enormous smile with the scenarios he experiences is just as funny, sure to elicit laughs during a readaloud."--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

About the Author

Caroline L. Perry is the award-winning author of I Am Not Grumpy!, I Am Not Happy!, Messi's Magic, The Memory Cake, The Corgi and the Queen, and more books for young readers. UK-born and California-based, Caroline coaches kids in writing and soccer and spends her free time adventuring with her family. She shares her Los Angeles home with her husband, three children, many crowded bookshelves, and a frequently raided British candy cupboard. Stop by and say "hi" at CarolineLPerry.com.

Sydney Hanson is the illustrator of Construction Cat by Barbara Odanaka and I Am Not Happy! and I Am Not Grumpy! by Caroline L. Perry. She was raised in Minnesota alongside numerous pets and brothers. When she wasn't tunneling through snowdrifts or rescuing frogs from rain gutters, she was drawing. Her illustrations and paintings still reflect these early adventures and are marked by a love for animals and the natural world. She lives in Los Angeles where she's worked for several animation shops. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling and spending time outside with her adopted brother, a Labrador retriever named Cash.