Scowls, frowns, crabbiness, and a general feeling of malcontent? Totally fine. Because when it comes to pet ownership, you need to find the pet that works for you. Even when you’re grouchy!
We recommend reading The Grumpy Pets by Kristine Lombardi (Harry N. Abrams, 2016). Billy’s mom notices that Billy seems extra grumpy, so she take him and his sister to Perfect Pets Animal Rescue. Will the cute, fuzzy, and adorable pets cheer Billy up? Nope. Stalking through the store, however, Billy finds himself in a very different section. The “Grumpy Pets” section. It’s filled with rows and rows of grouchy, moody, scowling, animals. Billy and a dog have a grumpy stare down and you know what? It might just be love at first sight. Is that a smile we see when Billy gives his new dog a cuddle?
You’ll need:
- Paper cups
- Construction paper
- Scissors and tape and/or glue
- Markers for decorating
Use markers and/or construction paper to turn a paper cup into a scowling pet. I think Katie’s “hamster with an attitude” is my favorite…
When everyone is finished, it’s time for a game! Line the pets up on a “pet store” table. One by one, have the kids find their pets, then tell the group (or, if they’re shy, their grown-ups) the pet’s name and what the pet hates. However, the kids must have tremendous scowls on their faces while talking. The minute they smile or laugh, their turn is up!
For older kids, allow the audience to ask the scowling pet owner questions about their pet. Hint: questions about the pet’s potty habits are sure to crack even the most stone-faced 6 year-old.
Stock up your stand and get ready for some customers! We let grown-ups and siblings browse at a farmer’s market full bursting with fresh veggies, flowers, and artisanal cheeses (which, coincidentally, look a lot like 
Now make 2 folds. Fold the lid over the lower edge of the counter. Then fold the lid upwards (a.k.a. a valley fold) so it rests on the higher end of the counter. Your counter will now look like this:
See the part of the lid that extends past the counter? Push that back down towards the lower end of the counter, then tuck it inside the higher end of the counter. You now have slanted bins that are sunken in the counter.
Make a pair of folded tagboard bin dividers, but don’t attach them just yet!
Fold the lid over the lower edge, then upwards to the higher edge. But instead of tucking the end of the lid into the box, just tape it to the higher edge.
Finish with a pair of tagboard bin dividers.
Use markers and patterned tape to decorate the counter, then hot glue it to the cardboard base. Now for the awning! Hot glue (or tape) 2 jumbo craft sticks to both ends of the counter. Fold a 4.5″ x 10.5″ piece of card stock in half and decorate it with markers. Put generous globs of hot glue on the ends of the jumbo sticks, then gently press the card stock awning in place.
Color and cut the produce bin backdrops from the 
You’ll notice that there are 2 sets of produce bins on the template. One set is for the background. The other set is for you to individually cut, drop in the bins, and sell at market!
To create the cheese table, cut a toilet paper tube in half and hot glue the halves to a piece of poster board or tagboard. Place a pair of foam bead “cheeses” on the table, then cover them with a clear plastic cup. Hot glue a mini pom-pom handle to the top of each cup, and finish with a 
To make the flowers, cut 2 pipe cleaners into thirds, then color and cut 6 flowers from the 
A few more touches. Behind the flowers you’ll see a “Today’s Specials” sandwich board (it’s on the farm stand template). On the front of the stand are “Shop Local” and “Jersey Fresh” signs, courtesy of Google images. Add some cute little flower stickers, and you’re done!
We gave grown-ups and little siblings 
Customers seemed particularly enamored with the foam cheeses. And really, who wouldn’t be? Just keep an eye out to make sure the littlest shoppers don’t enthusiastically sample the wares!
To play, select a challenge card (which are graded as beginner, intermediate, advanced, or expert). The face of the card tells you which books you can use, if they need to be placed horizontally or vertically, or if they can’t touch at all. Sometimes, the card will require the cat to be included on the shelf as well. The back side of the card has the solution. Here are a couple examples of card faces and solutions:
Once you’ve gathered all the relevant pieces, lay the bottom shelf on a level surface, then try configuring the books to the card’s specifications. Put the top shelf in place when you think you’re done, then place the balance level on top to see if your solution measures up. And remember – a minimum of 2 books much be touching the top shelf at any time.
