Introduction: Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat, and Oh, The Places You’ll Go
Over the years, I have seen Dr Seuss’ quotes or heard people talk about his books. I usually go quiet because I have never had the pleasure of reading any of his books until I read Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat, and Oh, The Places You’ll Go over the last two days. I can understand why children like Dr Seuss’ books because the stories are whimsical and colorful with illustrations of animals that are over the top. I would have loved to read Green Eggs and Ham, and The Cat in the Hat as a child. I didn’t enjoy reading them so much at this stage in my life, even though they made me chuckle a few times. On the other hand, I really enjoyed reading Oh, the Places You’ll Go because it was written for adults and I could relate to the story.
Born Theodor Seuss Geisel, Dr Seuss was unable to have children – although he acquired step-children from his second wife – so he tapped into his inner child. He developed a unique style for writing books, which served him well over his 60-year career. He wrote nearly 50 books, which have sold over 200 million copies, and translated into nearly 20 languages. According to the Encyclopedia of World Biography, four of the Dr Seuss’ books are on the top 10 hardcover children’s books of all time – The Cat in the Hat; Green Eggs and Ham; One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish (I Can Read It All by Myself)
; and Hop on Pop (I Can Read It All By Myself)
.
Green Eggs and Ham: Published in 1960, Green Eggs and Ham is the first Dr Seuss book that I read – only a few days ago. This book is the result of a challenge to write a book with fewer than 50 words. Except for the word “anywhere,” all the words in the story are monosyllabic. As I was reading Green Eggs and Ham, I could see why his books appeal to children all over the world. The story is whimsical, imaginative and colorful. I would have loved to read this book with its over-the-top illustrations, when I was a child. The story is simple, but packs a powerful lesson, that looks are deceiving, and you should try things even if you do not think you will enjoy them. One of the characters in the story doesn’t want to eat green eggs and ham, who would? It doesn’t sound or look very appetizing. He states that he won’t eat green eggs and ham under any circumstances, holding his ground. But Sam badgers him relentlessly, until he caves in and decides to try it to get some peace. And you know what, he realizes that he likes green eggs and ham after all.
The Cat in the Hat: Although Dr Seuss was an established children’s writer when he published The Cat in the Hat in 1957, the book solidified his reputation and changed the landscape of children’s book publishing. The Cat in the Hat is the result of a challenge from his friend, William Spaulding, an editor at Houghton Mifflin, to write a reading primer, using a limited number of words. At 233 words, The Cat in the Hat was a runaway success, selling nearly one million copies by 1960, three years after it was first published. By 2000, seven times that amount of The Cat in the Hat was sold. In the story, it is a very rainy day, brother and sister are bored because they cannot go outside to play. An upright walking cat, wearing a red and white hat, red bow tie, strolls into the house, starts to entertain them, wrecking the house in the process. The story is hysterically funny because of its silliness.
Oh, The Places You’ll Go: I really enjoyed Oh, the Places You’ll Go, and I can see why it’s a common graduation gift. Published in 1990, Dr Seuss wrote this book for adults, and it accurately depicts what life will be like when you leave the comforts of the classroom. You will face ups and downs, highs and lows, happiness and sadness, and there are times when you have to go through tough times by yourself. You will fail and succeed, and when you fail, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and keep going. Does this sound familiar to you? It’s the story of your life and my life. Oh, the Places You’ll Go is the last book, Dr Seuss published before his death in 1991.
Final Thoughts: Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat, and Oh, The Places You’ll Go
I recommend Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat, and Oh, The Places You’ll Go, but I especially liked the last one because I can relate to the story.
Green Eggs and Ham
Dr. Seuss's Beginner Book CollectionThe Cat in the HatOh, the Places You'll Go!The Wonderful World of Dr. Seuss
