I Hate Everything!

by Sophy Henn, Sophy Henn (Illustrator)

Overview

When a ghost is in a bad mood, his pal tries to turn his frown upside down in this irresistible picture book about there always being something to love.

A ghost is having a very bad day. He feels like he hates EVERYTHING! Lucky for him, he has a good ghost friend to talk it through with. Because if he doesn’t really hate sweets or flowers or dressing up, and he definitely doesn’t hate his friend, then maybe he doesn’t hate everything after all...

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781665980494
Publisher:	Beach Lane Books
Publication date:	08/19/2025
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.50(w) x 11.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Sophy Henn is an award-winning picture book author and illustrator with a master’s in illustration from the University of Brighton. She is the creator of the much-loved Bad Nana series, the Pom Pom series, the Ted board book series, and the nonfiction titles Lifesize and Lifesize Dinosaurs, among others. Her debut picture book, Where Bear?, was nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal and shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize. Sophy was the World Book Day Illustrator in 2015 and 2016.

Sophy Henn is an award-winning picture book author and illustrator with a master’s in illustration from the University of Brighton. She is the creator of the much-loved Bad Nana series, the Pom Pom series, the Ted board book series, and the nonfiction titles Lifesize and Lifesize Dinosaurs, among others. Her debut picture book, Where Bear?, was nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal and shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize. Sophy was the World Book Day Illustrator in 2015 and 2016.

Editorial Reviews

*Henn’s ability to show a wide range of expressions with little more than eyes, eyebrows, and mouth is nothing short of impressive. Sure to find an audience with, and far beyond, the general picture book crowd. . . . Clever—a humorous take on having and recovering from a bad mood. The key element is gratitude, although it is never mentioned. A must for any library.

8/1/25 - School Library Journal

A simple, colorful tale, whose expressive, charming characters cheerfully remind us to keep gratitude in our emotional toolkits.

August 2025 - Booklist

Readers will be charmed and reassured by the reminder that, with love and support, a change in perspective is possible.

05/01/2025 - Kirkus

2025-04-04
Through a series of pointed questions, a ghost interrogates a companion’s bad mood and helps to create a shift—at least for a moment.

“I hate everything!” declares a large frowning spirit. A smaller ghost gently pushes back: “Do you hate me?” “No, I don’t hate you. BUT I HATE EVERYTHING ELSE!” Lightly textured floating ghosts of the white-sheet variety appear on variously colored pages. The flat, mostly empty backgrounds change in color and tone throughout, reflecting the bigger ghost’s feelings. When the large ghost reiterates the title phrase, reds and oranges emphasize the angry heat of the speaker’s emotions. When the smaller ghost elicits a positive response, greens, blues, and lavenders suggest a calmer mood. Simply drawn mouths and eyes are remarkably expressive. The enormous yawning blackness of the larger ghost’s mouth perfectly captures the anguish of being stuck in a bad mood, while the smaller ghost’s mobile eyebrows clearly convey concern and caring. Eventually, the smaller ghost lists a double-page spread’s worth of people and experiences, appealingly pictured in bright colors (“Do you hate…flowers? Balloons? Strawberries?”). The bigger ghost doesn’t hate those things, either, and voices another equally extreme opinion, highlighted against sunny yellow: “I LOVE EVERYTHING!” This joy doesn’t last long, though, leading to a quiet chuckle as the book closes.

Readers will be charmed and reassured by the reminder that, with love and support, a change in perspective is possible.(Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews