Roaring, Boring Alice: A Story of the Aurora Borealis by Patricia K. Merski, P. K. Merski

From the Publisher

Science is coupled with child psychology in this tale of a child who is distracted from a tantrum by something wonderful outside her window. Disagreeable Alice, given to complaining and shouting, is visited one night by a magical character from a world underneath the North Pole who transforms her angry voice into streams of color that resemble the Northern Lights. A science page at the end of the book explains that the Aurora Borealis (notice the sound-alike to Roaring, Boring Alice) actually does glow with a spectrum of colors and, more surprising, has a "voice" made up of spark-like sounds. Told in sprightly rhyme, the story is illustrated with swirls of brilliant color that surround the mercurial red-haired Alice as she learns to positively channel her abundant energy.

Ann Sanger - Children's Literature

Scientists tell us that in the outermost layer of the earth's atmosphere, atoms and molecules are struck by energetic particles. The colorful Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, are visible around Alaska and the South Pole. Merski has given us an alternative reason for the spectacular array of colors along the earth's magnetic field. An ill-tempered Alice who is loud and rude, rages in her bedroom until an Agathean offers her a choice. "If you want your voice back Alice, my dear. Be nice and the colors will all disappear!" Narrated by her only friend, a small gray mouse, we are amused as colors stream from Alice's mouth in place of her piercing tirades. The reader is captivated by the clever rhyming text and the dazzling splashes of color across the pages. This would be a great book to handle the issue of temper tantrums and other bad behaviors. Although little ones may have never heard of Aurora Borealis, they would enjoy the outrageous antics of Alice and the technicolor rainbow pouring from her lips. 2004, Patricia Merski & Skeezel Press, $ 16.95. Ages 4 to 7.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-Alice is having a temper tantrum of technicolor proportions. After complaining that her soup is too hot and her peas are too cold, she is sent to her room where she screams until her face turns blue. Suddenly no sound comes from her previously noisy mouth. A strange little person appears to inform Alice that her screaming has changed into lights to color the night sky, thus creating the Aurora Borealis. As she settles down and realizes that her behavior was unacceptable, the room becomes a peaceful green. The illustrations sometimes blend together, muddying the effect, and the uneven rhymes make the story difficult to read aloud. An author's note gives the scientific reason for the Aurora Borealis. Molly Bang's When Sophie Gets Angry-Really, Really Angry (Scholastic, 1999) does a better job of introducing the complexities of childhood emotions.-Kristine M. Casper, Huntington Public Library, NY Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

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