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I Am Not Happy!

Illustrated by Sydney Hanson
LIST PRICE $19.99

About The Book

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!

About The Author

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Caroline L. Perry has always thought that Aussie animals are amazing, but a close encounter with a quokka made her the happiest human on Earth. Born in the UK, Caroline hopped around several countries before settling in Los Angeles, California. When she isn’t working on her children’s books and volunteering as a kids’ writing coach, she spends her time planning adventures with her Kiwi-Aussie husband and their three mini-marsupials, who can always turn her frown upside down. Caroline is the author of The Corgi and the Queen, I Am Not Happy!, and several forthcoming books for young readers. Say “g’day” at CarolineLPerry.com.

About The Illustrator

Photograph © Joshua Miller

Sydney Hanson is the illustrator of Construction Cat by Barbara Odanaka and I Am Not Happy! 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.

Why We Love It

“Besides the fact that quokkas are one of the cutest animals on the planet, I’m Not Happy! is a hilarious exploration of the evergreen lesson to never judge a book by its cover, or in this case, a marsupial by its smiling face! With Caroline L. Perry’s accessible prose and Sydney Hanson’s adorable illustrations, readers will laugh along with the misunderstood quokka and learn why stereotypes, even ‘positive’ ones, can be harmful.”

—Celia L., Executive Editor, on I Am Not Happy!

Product Details

  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (October 7, 2025)
  • Length: 40 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781665953351
  • Grades: P - 3
  • Ages: 4 - 8

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