Grover Goes to School (book)

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Anyone of you happen to remember (or even have) 1982's Grover Goes to School storybook? For those not familiar with it, Grover (of Sesame Street) is going to his first day of school but is nervous and shy about it. He wants to make friends but some of his classmates ask to trade things with him (like his lunch and crayons) but they are usually inferior items or ones he doesn't like. I guess he feels that he has to do this in order to make friends but it seems like the kids are just being jerks who are taking advantage of him. Eventually Grover has a breakdown about having all these inferior items and is comforted by a nice girl. It all works out in the end and he makes some friends.

I bring this up because I was absolutely obsessed with this book as a kid, especially when Grover has a breakdown and is shown to have a full-on bawling fit complaining about all the bad trades he submitted to. I don't know why but I always loved reading the events leading up to his breakdown and then I would stare at him crying for minutes on end. Maybe I felt bad for him and wanted to help or maybe I connect with Grover in having AS. I was always treated horribly in school and taken advantage of and even to this day I am still submissive and feel like I should be a doormat so co-workers and other people don't yell at me (I really don't handle that very well). There are days when I feel like having a crying breakdown right in the middle of work but that wouldn't end too well I'm sure. Just wondering if anyone else has either read this book or had a similar experience or whatever.

Grover is one of my favorite muppets. He always seemed oblivious to others' intentions. He was just a nice, naïve monster. He reminds me more of Forrest Gump than of an Aspie. I believe I'm very much like Forrest Gump as well.

Aaaww, I always loved Grover, too. He was always so sweet with John John (the 2-year-old boy who would sometimes talk with him) on Sesame Street in the early 70s.

Getting taken advantage of the way Grover was on his first day of school soooo sounds like something that would have happened to me. I always felt obligated to submit to whatever my "friends" wanted me to do...I felt as if it was the only way to stay within their good graces (or lack thereof). All the adults in my life would be like, "Be more assertive!" (like that's easy)....but how was I supposed to tell them that being a doormat was the only way I could have friends?

I've never actually seen the book that birdsandbugs is referring to; however, I have seen the classic "Big Scary Monster at the End of the Book" that I believe Grover was also in. If I ever do see another copy of Grover Goes to School anywhere online, I'll be sure and let you know, birdsandbugs, in case you're looking for it.

I always loved that "Monster at the End of the Book" story with Grover. I never read that one about him starting school however. But then there are tons of Sesame Street books. I think I would find it too sad to see Grover crying because he doesn't like the things his "friends" traded with him, but in The Monster book he's very funny because of the way he freaks out every time you turn the page because he's afraid of monsters, and then he builds a brick wall over the pages and when you turn them again it shows him buried under a crumbled pile of bricks and he whimpers, "Did you know that you are very strong?" I found that hilarious as a kid. And of course, when you get to the end it turns out he's really the monster, and he's so happy and tells you that there to be afraid of. Then he mutters to himself "I am so embarrassed..."

I do recall reading a Sesame Street book as you describe, there were a few of them.