Parents' Guide to

Great Day for Up

By Peter Lewis, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Cheery, simple rhyming word fun engages beginning readers.

Book Dr. Seuss For Beginning Readers 1974
Great Day for Up Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

See all

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

Dr. Seuss delivers a jolly rhymed handful of words, aimed at the very youngest of readers, with real oompah-pah. Illustrator Quentin Blake takes a few nutty cues from the doctor, but mostly it's his own show of highly communicative, sweet-natured watercolor-and-pen drawings.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (3 ):

Seuss knew what he was doing when he hit on the idea of introducing a mere thimbleful of words to the beginningest of readers. The tone and the challenge are inviting, and Blake effectively translates the words into action. Seuss conveys not just the pleasure of word slinging but also the very joy of being alive. Rarely do exclamation marks get used with such obvious perfection. The book is as merry as a cricket, and contagious.

The fun in reading this book is complemented by the sense of accomplishment young readers get when they finish the last page, often heading right back to the start for another helping. That's what they say about good poetry, and here it's clearly a sign of something special.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the fun language in this book. Which words or phrases are most fun to say out loud? Which words rhyme?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate