Parents' Guide to

I Am Not Going to Get Up Today!

By Peter Lewis, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

A vibrant and direct Seuss title.

Book Dr. Seuss For Beginning Readers 1988

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 6+

Based on 1 parent review

Lebron12James3
Lebron12James3 Parent of 5-year-old
November 30, 2021
age 6+

I am not going to get up today,

because I’m playing this videos sponsor, Raid Shadow Legends!
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Neither rooster, nor tickle, nor U.S. Marines, nor a big brass band will prevent Dr. Seuss's young hero from sleeping in on this day. This jolly story of the kid who won't get up is a fine display of Seuss's merry, streaming verse, here complemented by James Stevenson's soft-toned but exuberant artwork.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (3 ):

This is a particularly vibrant and direct Seuss title. It steadily gains momentum as the boy defies everything from the birds peeping outside his window to the United State Marines to dislodge him from his comfy nest. As an early reader, it is a success. The wordplay is natural, if not subtle, and each sentence is an invitation to read the next: "The only thing I'm choosing / is to lie here woozy-snoozing. / So won't you kindly go away. / I am NOT going to get up today!" And to hear a 6-year-old chuckling to himself as he reads the pages is proof enough.

James Stevenson is equally natural as an artist for Seuss. He is as frisky as the verse requires, yet the pastel colors of his palette temper the frenzy in a way that make his illustrations soothing to the eye, encouraging extended explorations of the images.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why the boy doesn't want to get up. Why would he want to stay in bed all day? What would he miss out on if he did? Have you ever felt like that?

Book Details

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