The Worst Teddy Ever - by Marcelo Verdad (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Noa is frustrated that Teddy is always too tired to play with him, but little does he know that Teddy is awake all night keeping him safe from night visitors"--

Book Synopsis

Meet Noa and the worst Teddy EVER in this sweet, funny debut about the unrecognized heroes in our lives, for fans of Mac Barnett and Christian Robinson. A Spanish edition, El peor Teddy del mundo, is also available for purchase.

Noa LOVES Teddy. But Teddy is ALWAYS tired! Why is Teddy always too sleepy to play with Noa during the day? It turns out that Teddy has a good reason, and Noa is in the dark about what's happening behind the scenes at night...when Teddy works tirelessly to protect his little boy from a colorful ensemble of unwelcome nighttime visitors!

At once laugh-out-loud funny and endearing, Marcelo Verdad's outstanding debut picture book explores how expectations don't always allow us to see others for who they truly are, and how sometimes what we want isn't always what we need.

Review Quotes

"A warm story for explaining that underlying answers aren't always obvious, and that readers can't know what others are going through. Good for read-alouds and SEL shelves."--School Library Journal

"Verdad's illustrations...have a playful feel that recalls Christian Robinson's child-centric style...adorable in their simplicity."--Horn Book

* "Verdad's debut picture book is an absolute delight."--BCCB

"The artwork in this debut picture book has that Todd Parr appeal of familiarity and achievability for toddlers and young children.... the message of teddy bears as nighttime protectors will be comforting to many a tiny reader."--Booklist

"The plot is a fun, reassuring twist on several common themes. Great for bedtime or anytime."--Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Marcelo Verdad is an author and illustrator from México and the creator of the Pura Belpré Award-winning picture book The Dream Catcher. He graduated from ArtCenter College of Design, where he came upon the Children's Book Illustration class and immediately fell in love with kids' books. He is a member of SCBWI, and was one of the recipients of the Mentorship Award at SCBWI's 2019 Summer Conference. The Worst Teddy Ever was his picture book debut. He lives in Los Angeles, California.