Context

This line is spoken by the cat in the book The Cat in the Hat, written by Dr. Seuss (1957).

The cat in the hat is a mischievous guy. He likes what he likes, just don't ask him why. One thing he knew, and his author knew too: reading should be fun or else it won't do.

Dr. Seuss had a problem with the boring "primers" that educators were using to teach kids to read. This book was his answer, and it was a really fun one. When the story starts out, the two main characters have been left at home alone. Their mom had errands to run or something. It's raining outside, and there's nothing to do, so they're siting at the window watching the rain fall when the cat in the hat shows up and shakes things up.

Before long, he's balancing all this stuff on his hat and in his hands, and to make matters worse, he's on a giant bouncy ball with one foot up in the air. Show-off. He has good intentions, we think, but he's not the best juggler. He falls right after he brags about how good he is at balancing all the things, including their pet fish, who's the voice of reason throughout the book. Turns out, the cat has a different idea of what fun is. At least he does end up cleaning things up.

Where you've heard it

On Read Across America Day (March 2), this book gets a lot of attention. Costumes sell out across America. There was also a movie based on this book, starring a lil' baby Dakota Fanning.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.

Be sure that if you're claiming this, you actually do know how to have fun. And clean up after yourself like the cat in the hat does.