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That's Good! That's Bad!
That's Good! That's Bad!
A little boy has a series of adventures and misadventures with a bunch of wild animals.
32 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1991
9 people are currently reading
242 people want to read
About the author
Margery Cuyler
73 books70 followersMargery Cuyler is the author of many books for children, including From Here to There, The Little Dump Truck, and That’s Good! That’s Bad! The idea for That’s Good! That’s Bad! was inspired by a conversation with her son, Thomas, who asked, "Can't bad things change into good things?" Ms. Cuyler grew up in the oldest house in Princeton, NJ, and started writing stories as soon as she learned how to write. She now lives in the same house with her husband, sons and two cats.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/marger...
http://us.macmillan.com/author/marger...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
June 29, 2023
This book is actually scary to kids. The pictures are too over the top. The animals look evil. And the idea of that's good, that's bad -just doesn't help the story.
February 9, 2015
That's Good! That's Bad! by Margery Cuyler and illustrated by David Catrow is about a boy who goes to the zoo with his parents and gets into trouble. The story begins when his parents buy him a red balloon and when he grabs ahold of it, it lifts him up into the air and carries him toward the animals cages. The balloon pops and drops the boy into a muddy pit of hippopotamus. He climbs out of the river and baboons chase him up a tree. The boy grabs onto what he thinks is a vine to swing away from the baboons but it ends up being a snake. The boy lets go of the snake and continuous to see a giraffe, elephant, and a lion. The story ends when the stork picks him up and carries him back to his parents where they greet him with hugs and kisses. The boy had an eventful day at the zoo but is happy to be reconnected with his mom and dad.
This book has a preposterous plot. Adults will read this book and know that it is impossible. There is no way that a balloon can carry a boy up into the sky. We also know that the odds of a kid getting into an animals pen and touching every animal at the zoo is highly unlikely. A stork somehow guesses who the boys parents are out of everyone out of the zoo. Finally, the parents would have been searching for their child this entire time if they actually lost him at the zoo. Nonetheless, children will read this book and their imaginations run wild. They still are creative enough where they can read this story and imagine themselves getting into a disaster with all the animals alongside the main character. This story is written for children to enjoy. Kids will hear the adventures the boy goes on and hope he makes it out of the zoo alive. This book is written for a younger audience's entertainment.
This book's pictures are very colorful and eye catching. Every page is in full color. The pages also foreshadow the next animal that the boy will encounter. The pages show the animal that the boy is in danger with at the moment, and also a part of the next animal that he will run into. For example, when the boy landed on the giraffe's back, the edge of the page shows an elephants trunk. When you turn the page, the elephant is the animal the main character deals with next. As the boy is climbing down from the elephant, the illustrator puts the lions tail and feet in the picture to show that is the next animal that is going to appear. Giving a preview of the next animal the boy gets involved with is a smart way to keep readers going until the very end. If they see apart of what is to occur next, they will keep reading so they can witness this next thing happening. I like that the illustrator foreshadowed what will happen next in the story.
This book has a preposterous plot. Adults will read this book and know that it is impossible. There is no way that a balloon can carry a boy up into the sky. We also know that the odds of a kid getting into an animals pen and touching every animal at the zoo is highly unlikely. A stork somehow guesses who the boys parents are out of everyone out of the zoo. Finally, the parents would have been searching for their child this entire time if they actually lost him at the zoo. Nonetheless, children will read this book and their imaginations run wild. They still are creative enough where they can read this story and imagine themselves getting into a disaster with all the animals alongside the main character. This story is written for children to enjoy. Kids will hear the adventures the boy goes on and hope he makes it out of the zoo alive. This book is written for a younger audience's entertainment.
This book's pictures are very colorful and eye catching. Every page is in full color. The pages also foreshadow the next animal that the boy will encounter. The pages show the animal that the boy is in danger with at the moment, and also a part of the next animal that he will run into. For example, when the boy landed on the giraffe's back, the edge of the page shows an elephants trunk. When you turn the page, the elephant is the animal the main character deals with next. As the boy is climbing down from the elephant, the illustrator puts the lions tail and feet in the picture to show that is the next animal that is going to appear. Giving a preview of the next animal the boy gets involved with is a smart way to keep readers going until the very end. If they see apart of what is to occur next, they will keep reading so they can witness this next thing happening. I like that the illustrator foreshadowed what will happen next in the story.
July 14, 2017
Interesting story that links a chain of events using the tile of the book. Not sure if the chain of events always makes sense. The story revolves around a boy who floats away from his parents while holding a balloon at the zoo.
July 27, 2017
I liked the story. However, I thought it moved too quick from action to action. I did enjoy the different animals and showing the slide down the giraffe neck... as an example... But the Lion... Humm... Yumm... lol...
December 11, 2017
It is so frustrating to read a picture book that's based on a fantastic concept, but isn't executed well. Sigh. The main character floats away from the zoo on a red balloon, which leads to all kinds of problems, which seem good, but are actually bad, or bad, but are actually good.
May 24, 2018
A recommended read aloud for ages 6-8 by the University of Minnesota. I think it would be good for 1st and 2nd grade not quite as much for 3rd grade. A boy gets a balloon and it carries him away into a series of that's good no that's bad situations through a jungle and back home again.
September 3, 2018
Good story - picture book that bridges the transition from point and identify books to following a storyline. Also encourages kids to anticipate what comes next with the refrain (that encourages participation) "You might think that's bad, but actually it's good...
August 17, 2017
What an adventure! Fun to read aloud. Amusing and engaging. Loved the That's good/That's bad refrain. Artwork is vibrant and funny.
September 22, 2017
This book was really hard to follow. The prose didn't make sense, unless I added in my own transition words and phrases, which made reading aloud annoying.
February 9, 2020
Similar structure/concept as the picture book "Fortunately," by Remy Charlip.
February 12, 2020
My kindergartner didn't quite get it.
June 17, 2021
This is great children’s’ read aloud. Perfect for pausing and reflecting about differences in perspectives.
August 28, 2021
Silly story with very little take away, but the illustrations and overall story are fun and colorful!
March 11, 2022
Ehhhhh, it's an ok story but I'm not a big fan of the that's good/that's bad format in general.
May 28, 2022
Someone could rewrite this one and make it so much more fun to read.
August 5, 2022
This is a cute book! Teaching them to look at things that “bad” might be so bad after all. Super cute! Definitely want this one for our own home library!
October 31, 2022
A fine book if you skip the “that’s good! That’s bad!” Parts on every page :)
March 25, 2023
Loved it when I was little, love it even now. Don't make em like this anymore, for better or worse.
June 11, 2023
A boy is carried off by a balloon into a jungle through a series of encounters (good and bad) with animal and is eventually carried back to his parents by a story.
January 6, 2024
Children LOVE this one! Includes predictive text in a variety of predicaments.
April 1, 2025
I love the illustrator David Catrow. He is amazing. It really adds to the story. The story is about a boy who goes to the zoo. He has some misadventures at the zoo. It’s super imaginative and fun.
October 24, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy
Grade Level: K-1st Grade
This children fantasy is the perfect book for younger elementary school aged students. They can be amazed, frightened and happy all within a couple of pages, and I love that! I also LOVE the illustrations in the book! This book is great for students learning the difference between good and bad, and the ending is perfect. I recommend this book.
Grade Level: K-1st Grade
This children fantasy is the perfect book for younger elementary school aged students. They can be amazed, frightened and happy all within a couple of pages, and I love that! I also LOVE the illustrations in the book! This book is great for students learning the difference between good and bad, and the ending is perfect. I recommend this book.
April 28, 2025
Great illustrations and an engaging concept make this fast-paced book a hit!
March 9, 2017
A little confusing with all the "that's good, wait, no that's bad, wait...." Still fun, including the illustrations.
September 19, 2016
The kids love this book because things that seem good are bad, and things that seem bad are good.
April 15, 2008
this book gets 5 stars, just because it comes to mind A LOT. The story is basically a series of events that seem either good or bad at first and then turn into the opposite:
something happens, "That's good" no "that's bad".
something else happens, "that's bad" no "that's good".
whenever something happens to me, this text comes to mind.
For example, when i woke up at 4:30 this morning (thinking it was 5:30) my initial thought was "that's bad" then I realized that gave me enough time to make bread and soup before work, "that's good".
then I couldn't find the cumin or the black eyed peas for the soup, "that's bad".
but wait, there were other beans, "that's good".
on a larger scale, when i saw a bus smash into a MAX train and everyone stood around and gawked and called everyone else on their cell phones and re-hashed the yuckiness (even while the yuckiness was still happening), I thought "THAT'S BAD!" that's really, really bad
but then i thought maybe people do that out of an evolutionary impulse to help, maybe they run up to tragic events and stare because an impulse to lift the wooly mamoth or wagon wheel or whatever off their fellow man is still embedded in their DNA and they can't help it, so...."That's good".
and finally the slow decline that most people experience on their way to death totally sucks or "That's bad" BUT
by the time most people get to the end of it they're so exhausted they want to die, are in fact, "ready" to die and "That's good".
something happens, "That's good" no "that's bad".
something else happens, "that's bad" no "that's good".
whenever something happens to me, this text comes to mind.
For example, when i woke up at 4:30 this morning (thinking it was 5:30) my initial thought was "that's bad" then I realized that gave me enough time to make bread and soup before work, "that's good".
then I couldn't find the cumin or the black eyed peas for the soup, "that's bad".
but wait, there were other beans, "that's good".
on a larger scale, when i saw a bus smash into a MAX train and everyone stood around and gawked and called everyone else on their cell phones and re-hashed the yuckiness (even while the yuckiness was still happening), I thought "THAT'S BAD!" that's really, really bad
but then i thought maybe people do that out of an evolutionary impulse to help, maybe they run up to tragic events and stare because an impulse to lift the wooly mamoth or wagon wheel or whatever off their fellow man is still embedded in their DNA and they can't help it, so...."That's good".
and finally the slow decline that most people experience on their way to death totally sucks or "That's bad" BUT
by the time most people get to the end of it they're so exhausted they want to die, are in fact, "ready" to die and "That's good".
October 26, 2012
I really really enjoyed looking at all the illustrations in this book, they were great!! I also liked how descriptive the words were that the author used in this book. I would recommend this book to 2nd or 3rd graders.
From Publishers Weekly
At the zoo a boy is lifted into the sky by his balloon. "Oh, that's good. No, that's bad! "--because the balloon pops when it hits a tree deep in the jungle. "Oh, that's bad. No, that's good! "--because the wide-eyed lad falls into a river and climbs onto a hippo, who takes him to shore. Thus incidents that appear to be positive turn out to be negative (and vice-versa) as the child confronts an extremely colorful bevy of animals, including baboons who chase him up a tree, a hissing snake whom he mistakes for a vine, a kindly elephant who pulls him out of quicksand and a stork who flies him back to the zoo, into the arms of his parents. Cuyler's ( Fat Santa ) fanciful tale is energized by exclamations ("WHEEEE!"; "WHOOPS!"; "GLUG! GLUG!") that beg to be read aloud. Catrow's witty cartoons paint the jungle in a humorous light and hilariously depict the boy's alternating terror and relief. And that's good ! Ages 4-7.
From Publishers Weekly
At the zoo a boy is lifted into the sky by his balloon. "Oh, that's good. No, that's bad! "--because the balloon pops when it hits a tree deep in the jungle. "Oh, that's bad. No, that's good! "--because the wide-eyed lad falls into a river and climbs onto a hippo, who takes him to shore. Thus incidents that appear to be positive turn out to be negative (and vice-versa) as the child confronts an extremely colorful bevy of animals, including baboons who chase him up a tree, a hissing snake whom he mistakes for a vine, a kindly elephant who pulls him out of quicksand and a stork who flies him back to the zoo, into the arms of his parents. Cuyler's ( Fat Santa ) fanciful tale is energized by exclamations ("WHEEEE!"; "WHOOPS!"; "GLUG! GLUG!") that beg to be read aloud. Catrow's witty cartoons paint the jungle in a humorous light and hilariously depict the boy's alternating terror and relief. And that's good ! Ages 4-7.
July 5, 2017
This is one of those books that you can read only once and it will continue to stay with you long after the years have passed by since you closed it. As the description of the book states this is one that shows how bad things can turn out to be good or even on how good things can turn out to be bad in this always-changing world that we are living in.
The writing is simple and easy while the formatting is large enough that you aren't having to squint. Since of the descriptive words and the commonly repeated phrases this is one book that you can read interactively with your children if they want to participate in helping you out in having it read to them.
The illustrations weren't the best that I have ever seen since they do go to the extremes to kind of cartoonize all the animals, which I can understand. At the same such bright and dark colors are also used to give the story that tone of uncertainty, which is emphasized by the emotions that play out over the little boy's face.
All in all a memorable read and one that I would caution parents about, especially if you have a child who may be scared easily. Otherwise pick-up and enjoy.
The writing is simple and easy while the formatting is large enough that you aren't having to squint. Since of the descriptive words and the commonly repeated phrases this is one book that you can read interactively with your children if they want to participate in helping you out in having it read to them.
The illustrations weren't the best that I have ever seen since they do go to the extremes to kind of cartoonize all the animals, which I can understand. At the same such bright and dark colors are also used to give the story that tone of uncertainty, which is emphasized by the emotions that play out over the little boy's face.
All in all a memorable read and one that I would caution parents about, especially if you have a child who may be scared easily. Otherwise pick-up and enjoy.
December 3, 2013
In this story a young boy goes to the zoo where his parents buy him a big red balloon. Immediately the balloon lifts the boy into the sky. "Oh that's good! No, that's bad!" Then the balloon carried him deep into the jungle where it popped on a prickly branch. "Oh that's bad! No, that's bad!"
That's Good! That's Bad! Is a story of a series of events that at first seem either good or bad and then turn out to be the opposite. For this reason, this book could be a great tool in the classroom for getting students to work with prediction.
The illustrations in this book are truly delightful and colorful. Where the giraffe begins on one page you are not able to see the its head at the end of its long neck until you flip to the next page. The "big, scary" snake is literally big and scary ( I was a little frightened).
This book also has very figurative language with its use of onomatopoeia using words like "plop", "pop", and "splat". This book could be a great way to introduce onomatopoeia to your classroom.
That's Good! That's Bad! Is a story of a series of events that at first seem either good or bad and then turn out to be the opposite. For this reason, this book could be a great tool in the classroom for getting students to work with prediction.
The illustrations in this book are truly delightful and colorful. Where the giraffe begins on one page you are not able to see the its head at the end of its long neck until you flip to the next page. The "big, scary" snake is literally big and scary ( I was a little frightened).
This book also has very figurative language with its use of onomatopoeia using words like "plop", "pop", and "splat". This book could be a great way to introduce onomatopoeia to your classroom.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews