Southwest Children's Literature

Sun Logo


That's Good! That's Bad! In the Grand Canyon

Book Review:

With hilarity, Margery Cuyler brings to life a summertime outing of a young boy and his elderly grandmother as they hike the Grand Canyon. The pair start on their journey at Bright Angel Trail located in the Walhalla Plateau and their adventure concludes near Havasu Falls on the Havasupai Indian Reservation. The extreme antics of the young boy as he gets into one mishap after another ultimately lead him, safe and sound, to his grandmother's waiting arms. Before he arrives there, however, he encounters a mule, rafters, a rescue helicopter and many other challenges. These obstacles are written in such a way that they appear to lead, not hinder, the boy to his final destination.

The word choice in this book is very visual. The author's use of phrases such as "churla, churla" to depict a washing machine as the boy is spinning in the water and "oopsy-daisy" as the boat capsizes and he is "wooshed" into the air, allows the reader to envision each situation and decide what sequence of events will happen next. Each turn of the page is exciting and rewarding; children will love this book as they are pulled into the story to decide if the next predicament the boy is faced with will be good or bad! (This book follows the alternating ups and downs of the format of Cuyler's book, That's Good, That's Bad!)

David Catrow's illustrations are very vivid, full of splash and color. The facial expressions of the people and animals are very life-like. The pictures portray surprise, happiness, wonder and relief in such a way that they entrance the reader, pulling him/her into the story.

to mainpage

About the Book | Book Review | Children's Voices | Lesson Plan | About the Reviewer