Common Sense Media Review
By Regan McMahon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Goose outsmarts fox in funny, perilous story with a twist.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
A wolf meets a plump goose on the street and asks her to take a stroll in the deep dark woods. \"That is NOT a good idea!\" says one of the four baby geese observing the scene. But the goose goes anyway, and when the fox asks her to go to his kitchen and she agrees, one of the goslings says, \"That is really really NOT a good idea!\" The goslings' warnings get more extreme with each step closer to the soup pot, until the goose finally outsmarts the wolf.
Is It Any Good?
THAT IS NOT A GOOD IDEA! is another fresh, funny crowd-pleaser from prolific author-illustrator Mo Willems. Kids will join the chorus of goslings repeatedly giving ever more desperate warnings, and parents will admire the silent-movie motif, with the dialogue appearing on black title cards. There's a cute twist at the end, too, when readers learn that the little geese were actually warning the wolf, not the goose.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about twists in stories. What's fun about an author trying to fool you?
Notice how expressive the eyes are in That Is NOT a Good Idea! You can tell if a character is happy, scared, or surprised just by their eyes. What other ways does Mo Willems show changes in feelings?
Check out a silent movie to see what it's like. You might start with Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times.
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Mo Willems
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Animals ( Wild Animals )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Balzer + Bray
- Publication date : April 23, 2013
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 4 - 8
- Number of pages : 48
- Available on : Hardback
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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