Dr Seuss books can be a great way to encourage your child to read and to enjoy and embrace the English language.
Dr Seuss (1904–1991) was an American cartoonist and writer. He is famous for the many children books he has written. But Dr Seuss got his start as an illustrator for the best-selling Boners book of 1931.
The Boners book was published by Viking Press, under the pseudonym Alexander Abingdon, being a "Collection of Schoolboy Wisdom, or Knowledge as It Is Sometimes Written, Compiled from Classrooms in Examination Papers by Alexander Abingdon, and Illustrated by Dr Seuss". Within two months, the book sold almost 100,000 copies, becoming the fourth highest selling non-fiction book of 1931. The book was so successful that three sequels were fast-tracked the same year, though Dr Seuss would return to illustrate just the first of these sequels (More Boners). By 1952, the total sale of the various editions of Boners books had added up to almost 1.5 million copies. See further, Bestselling Bloopers.
Amongst the most famous of Seuss's children's books is How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Cat in the Hat, Horton Hears a Who!, and Green Eggs and Ham. All of these use rhymes in order to captivate the attention of children. We will present a brief plot outline for each of these famous Dr Seuss stories.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas tells the story of a "Grinch" that was unhappy and envious of the people of a small town. The Grinch decided to destroy their Christmas spirit by stealing all their presents. The story revolves around the emotionality of the Grinch, which varies as he starts to care for a little girl whom he accidentally took when stealing the presents. This Dr Seuss book was adapted into a film that was released in 2000 and starred Jim Carrey as the Grinch.
The Cat in the Hat is probably the most famous Dr Seuss book. It is about a mischievous cat that wore a red, tall and white striped hat, and a red bow tie. He brings complete chaos to a household in which a brother and a sister are left alone by their mother on a rainy day. This Dr Seuss book was also adapted into a film released in 2003 starring Mike Myers.
Horton hears a Who! was released in 1954. It tells the story of an elephant named Horton who has astounding hearing. Horton is able to be the only one on the planet who can hear the residents of a tiny city, no larger than a small speck of dust. The city is named “Who-ville” and is inhabited by "Whos", which are microscopic-sized beings. The story revolves around how Horton tries to convince the other animals of the existence of these tiny Whos and that a “person is a person, no matter how small”. In 2008, this Dr Seuss book was adapted into a film, as an animation with voices from Jim Carrey and Steve Carrell.
Green Eggs and Ham is probably the Dr Seuss book that best displays Seuss’s style. The story is told wholly through images and dialogue that rhymes, having no analysis or descriptive narrative. This tale has only two main characters, one named Sam, and an unnamed character. During the story, Sam tries several times to convince the unnamed character to eat green eggs and ham, but his efforts are in vain.
Dr Seuss books are a treat for young children everywhere and can be a fun way to encourage your child to read.