Are You Going to Be Good?

by Cari Best, G. Brian Karas (Illustrator)

A joyous celebration of the young and young-at-heart

Tonight’s a special night. Robert is going to his first grownup party – a birthday celebration for Great-Gran Sadie, who is one hundred years old. Robert is so excited he feels like a firecracker about to go off. But once he arrives at the party, it’s hard to remember what to do when. “Don’t do that!” says Grandpa Jack. “Don’t do that!” says Uncle Phil. “Don’t do that!” says Cousin Sidney. But what will Great-Gran Sadie say?

How Robert discovers an unexpected kindred spirit comes to life in whimsical pictures that perfectly capture what it’s like to be small in a world of adults. This is one party no one will ever forget.

Genres: Picture Books, Family, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 8, 2005

About the author

Cari Best has written many award-winning picture books, including Sally Jean, the Bicycle Queen, a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, and My Three Best Friends and Me, described by the New York Times as “refreshing” and “exciting.” Her most recent picture book is If I Could Drive, Mama, was described by Publishers Weekly as “a wonderful tribute to an imagination in perpetual motion.” In the Country of Queens is her first novel. Ms. Best lives in Connecticut.

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Robert is bored at his great-gran's 100th birthday party . . . until the dancing begins.
Turns out, Granny's not too old to cut a rug.

[Courtney Angelo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Robert is going to a party for his 100 year old grandmother, and all of his relatives have to warn him about manners and behaving. "Say thank you, excuse yourself, don't play with your food." Robert ends up misbehaving with his grandma and dancing the night away. I enjoyed the book because the tone is less than serious; while family members are reminding Robert of his manners, young children reading the book can also learn manners as well. The author creates a hidden message with a fun tone. To be enjoyed by all ages!

[Tara Schloetter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Robert is a young boy who is finally allowed to go to an adult party with the rest of his family, and his parents make sure that Robert knows all the rules ahead of time so that he behaves appropriately. Robert behaves well at the beginning by saying “excuse me” and shaking hands, however, his behavior quickly takes a turn for the worse. Robert tastes food and puts it back on the plate, he pours drinks he does not like into the flowers, and he plays with the gross adult food they serve him. He is continually told to “don’t do that,” until his 100-year-old Great-Gran Sadie kicks off her shoes and joins Robert on the dance floor. This is a fun children’s picture book with expressive illustrations, however, it was a little too wordy for my taste. It also gets a little too repetitive, because a lot of the book consists of Robert doing something inappropriate and one of his relatives saying “don’t do that.” Although I did not love this book, I would still keep it around as a fun read aloud, because I think kids would enjoy Robert and could relate to the silly things he does at the party.

[Alyssa Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a fun way to teach manners. Before going to a party, Robert's family reminds him what is polite to do and say. They have to remind him thorough out the party. Eventually, he gets tired of acting like an adult and goes to dance. His Great-Gran Sadie notices and joins him. This book reminded me that it is okay to let loose and have fun sometimes. I think this is a great book for anyone, especially adults who forgot what it is like to be young at heart. This book reminded me of when I was younger and would play games at adult parties. I would use this book to teach my students about appropriate behavior. The illustrations are full of color and detail that help keep children's attention, even when Robert is getting bored. This book has a simple word choice, which would allow beginning readers practice reading.

[Megan Conroy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute book centered around a young boy who cannot seem to do anything right according to his relatives at his grandmas party. There is not much substance to this book, but the illustrations are wonderfully done and are very organic, yet imaginative at the same time. In the end, he ends up dancing with his grandma and she is the only one who never tells him to not do something. I just wish there was a little more substance and story to this one.

[Ashlyn Ewert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a very cute book. I did not think that it was going to end the way that it did. I really liked how it ended with the grandmother enjoying what Robert was doing and joining it. Throughout the night he was told not to do this and not to do that but by the end he gets to do the one thing that he wanted to do which was dance.

[Jerod · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this story is great. It is about a young boy who attends his first-ever adult party, and when he starts to the dance floor, he finds extreme joy. This story surrounds the idea that being polite is always good, but so is having fun and being yourself.

[Mae · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Zoe Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very cute and probably would be good for kids in second grade. I really enjoyed the illustrations of this book. I think the kids will enjoy it too.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Robert is going to a party with his family. He has to get very dressed up in his good clothes. The whole family is going to Great-Gran Sadie's birthday party. She's turning 100! And Robert has the best gift. In the car Robert is reminded about his manners and to be on his best behavior.

At the party, Robert meets a lot of grownups, shakes lots of hands and tastes lots of food; some if it he likes, some of it he doesn't. He tries shining shoes under the table and is told not to do that. He also can't shoot olives into other peoples glasses or build igloos with people's ice cubes. Well, what can he do? Finally it's time for dancing. He announces that he likes to dance and Great-Gran Sadie exclaims that she does too! So the two go off dancing and have a great time.

When the music ends, Great-Gran Sadie is laughing so hard there are tears running down her face. Robert remembers that he has a handkerchief in his pocket. But when he pulls it out the 100 sweet cherry berries he put in there for her present come tumbling out, too. No worries; sweet cherry berries are Great-Gran Sadies' favorites!

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many words for kids. A story about a kid who is told to be good at a party by not running or yelling. He is told at the party not to taste test and put food back on the serving trays.
A lot of "Don't do that!" to various things he did throughout their book.
He ended up dancing with his Great Grandma on the dance floor and having a great time. Adults are made out to be bossy while his Great Grandma rocks!

[현순 최 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Robert is scheduled to go to a party with his family. His parents explain to him about courtesy at Great-Gran Sadie's party, but when he arrived there, he begin to ignore it. such as jumping, taste some things...During someone makes a speech, Robert starts to wiggle and jiggle. Everyone says him, "Don't do that,"but his granny also dances with Robert. They become familiar each other. Children can learn the social manner at the public place from this book.

[Katie Nanney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Are you going to be good? That's a question every parent asks his or her young child before they go somewhere. I liked the book because it had colorful illustrations and the story was funny. The little boy spends the entire evening "being good" and then learns that it's okay to be silly every once in awhile. I think I would like to keep this book in my classroom to remind my students that it's okay to have fun and dance sometimes.

[Niena Ramirez · Rating 2 out of 5]

I chose the book "Are You Going to Be Good?" by Cari Best because the cover interested me. As I started reading I noticed that there are too many words for an elementary classroom. The illustration were dull colored but had a lot of detail. The author did a great job with displaying different manners therefore, this book may be a good guide for teaching children manners in and out of the classroom. I would use this book in 5th or 6th grade.

[Andrew Perry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a pretty read which could be used in lower grades. This story focuses on a young boy who is anxiously awaiting a family party. As he prepares the arrive his family gives him a list of what not to do while he is there. This book would be good to discuss classroom rules and expected behavior.

[Alyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book teaches children how to be good but really now, I can't help but wonder if it's also poking fun at adults and their expectations of children. Robert is going to a birthday party for his aunt and all he hears from other people around him is what he can not do. Robert can't help but be bored. To give Robert some credit, he does listen and stop when he's told to stop doing something.

[The Brothers · Rating 3 out of 5]

This little story goes a long way to "get there" so to speak. It's a bit odd that it's one of the few stories I've read aloud that is in present tense. It's about little Robert going to Great Gran Sadie's 100th birthday celebration. The story doesn't seem to flow very easily for me. Maybe the constant (and quite similar questioning) by family members of Robert.

Illustrations are fun.

[Yasmin Gomez Geng]

A book on manners and social behavior, this story is both a mix of happy and sad. Robert tries to be good but it's so boring at an adult party. He tries to keep himself busy but his actions aren't always seen as good by the adults. Until he meets Great-Gran Sadie!

Grade: Kindergarten - 3rd Grade
Topic: Manners, Character, Family, Birthdays

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary:
Robert is asked to be on his best behavior and he is until the food comes. He takes great grandma to the dance floor and has tons of fun.

Response:
Great illustrations, great plot and cute way to incorporate manners.

Themes:
Manners, respect

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book for children about to attend an adult party. This party reminded exactly of one I took Leo to when he was about three. Leo still enjoyed the book even though he doesn't remember the party.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that I liked this because of the footloose Great-Gran Sadie. The other adults were all coming down on the kid for being excited about the party and Sadie was all about having a good time, something that wasn't otherwise being done at that party. Go Great-Gran!

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

great story about a little boy who attends a grown up party. loved the illustrations. they almost had a 60s feel to them.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book is hilarious!! fun pictures. there can be repetition participation with "don't do that" probably better for slightly longer attention spans.

[Pinky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Robert has a blast at Great-Gran Sadie's 100th birthday.

[Richa Jha · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fourth star is for the rocking great-gran in this book! We loved her spirit!

[Kelley Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Culturally too immersed in upper middle-class/dinner party preconceptions to be much use with a poor kid school. Would have been great at St. Nicholas.

[Carrie Marie Lawson Brewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great story about balance between good behavior and letting loose to have fun!