Amazon.com

Inspirational yet honest, and always rhythmically rollicking, Oh, the Places You'll Go! is a perfect sendoff for children, 1 to 100, entering any new phase of their lives. Kindergartners, graduate students, newlyweds, newly employeds--all will glean shiny pearls of wisdom about the big, bountiful future. The incomparable Dr. Seuss rejoices in the potential everyone has to fulfill their wildest dreams: "You'll be on your way up! / You'll be seeing great sights! / You'll join the high fliers / who soar to high heights." At the same time, he won't delude the starry-eyed upstart about the pitfalls of life: "You can get all hung up / in a prickle-ly perch. / And your gang will fly on. / You'll be left in a Lurch."

But fear not! Dr. Seuss, with his inimitable illustrations and exhilarating rhymes, is convinced ("98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed") that success is imminent.As long as you remember "to be dexterous and deft. And NEVER mix up your right foot with your left," things should work out. (All ages) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (127)

Not just for kids!
Many of us grew up with Dr. Seuss,but did any of us ever think of how much his stories could help us relate to the real world? Oh, The Places You'll Go!, does exactly that. It is an inspirational book for all ages from a child beginning his or her first day of school to the college graduate. Dr. Seuss's whimsical book takes an optimistic look at life and its ups and downs or as he puts it, "Bang-ups and hang-ups can happen to you." In this book, his lovable and memorable rhymes are encouraging as well as entertaining and tongue twisting. In the end, he makes us all believe that we will succeed and yes, "Kid, you'll move mountains!"

Places you'll Go!
"Congratulations! Today is your day. You're off to Great Places! You're off and away!" Oh, the Places You'll Go!, by Dr. Seuss is an inspirational book and characterized by uplifting messages that transcend age and encourage positive attitudes and self esteem to generations of people. Whether you are graduating high school or college, getting a job or retiring, this book will provide timeless messages that evoke and encourage a beneficial attitude throughout the generations. I have read this book many times and each time the memories of events passed are brought to mind, as well as hope for events to come. "You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And you are the guy who'll decide where to go." Seuss reflects positive attitude and self-esteem using his prose to encourage the message he is trying to get across to readers. He uses simple words and rhymes to enforce the idea; a book for the ages. This book is easily readable for anyone from the age of four to eighty four and applicable to the times in between. It can be especially relevant and helpful during transitional phases. Seuss inspires, that you have the ability to take yourself places and make something of yourself. "You'll join the high fliers who soar to high heights." Oh, the Places you'll Go!, shows that you can go to high heights in life as long as you maintain a positive attitude and esteem you can accomplish anything. Seuss' message also includes, "but sometimes you won't." Life isn't always easy, there will be, "bang-ups and hang-ups", along the way. But the point he makes is to not let those get you down and get out of your rut, escape those unhappy times for good times to come. "Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won." Whether you get hung up, still be positive for there is something that will happen which will be good to you. The message Seuss gives his readers about achieving goals and gaining success and happiness are timeless and will be prevalent for many years to come. "and will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.) KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!" I have read Oh, the Places you'll Go!, many times in the past year. When there are times of transition or struggle in my life the uplifting message Seuss reminds me to get out of my rut, get out of "the waiting place" and move on to the better things to come. I received this book as a high school senior as a present for graduation because it encourages me to think that there are bigger and better things to be achieved so I shouldn't wait for something to happen, but go out and make it happen. Oh, the Places you'll Go!, by Dr. Seuss engulfs the imagination and provides a vision of success and achievement for people of all ages at any time in their live. It is a book that transcends age and time, in which Seuss provides many people the opportunity to read this book and provide them with positive attitudes and achievement. "So... be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea, you're off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your Mountain is waiting. So... get on your way!

A must read book!
This book is an absolute 'must read' for everyone. I truly believe that every home should have a copy of this book :-)
I once saw it billed as 'the only self-help' book you'll ever need and this is a very acurate description.
Children - even the tiniest ones - will love this purely because of the wonderful rhyming verse and eye catching illustrations. Older kids and particularly adults will love it because of the wonderful uplifting message that it contains.
Sure, life isn't always easy and we all take wrong turns some times but if you keep going you are bound to end up in the right place.
This book should be available on prescription as an anti-depressant!

You will Succeed 98 and ¾ Percent Guaranteed!
Having just gotten this book as graduation present from my Mom when I graduated with my Masters Degree. It takes something like a book by Dr. Seuss to explain the ups and downs of life and the need for individual drive and perseverence. This book explains it all to you and puts it (life) in perspective. In some respects I wish I had received it sooner. Regardless of your education or age level this Graduation speech by the good Dr. Seusss will inspire you and bring a smile to your face. Filled with optimism for the future this book is nice reminder that it isn't so easy but you can (and will) make it.

Not Just For Kids!
I just graduated from college and a beloved aunt of mine gave me this special book. I don't know whether I read this book as a child; though I probably did, and simply cannot remember. Nevertheless, I assure you that reading it today was exceptionally meaningful to me. Never has such a short read been so inspiring. Dr. Seuss really does cram it all in there. As other reviewers have noted, when Dr. Seuss writes about the "places you'll go," he not only mentions the joyous places, but realistically covers the bad times and how we can lift ourselves up and keep going. This honesty is refreshing and inspiring in itself. I cannot imagine how many lives Dr. Seuss touched with this book, but it has undoubtedly been tons. I unconditionally recommend "Oh, the Places You'll Go" to anyone, regardless of age. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Did you ever fly a kite in bed? Did you ever walk with ten cats on your head?" Such are the profound, philosophical queries posed in this well-loved classic by Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel. While many rhymes in this couplet collection resemble sphinx-worthy riddles, Seuss's intention is clear: teach children to read in a way that is both entertaining and educational. It matters little that each wonderful vignette has nothing to do with the one that follows. (We move seamlessly from a one-humped Wump and Mister Gump to yellow pets called the Zeds with one hair upon their heads.) Children today will be as entranced by these ridiculous rhymes as they have been since the book's original publication in 1960--so amused and enchanted, in fact, they may not even notice they are learning to read! (Ages 4 to 8) ... Read more

Reviews (81)

Rich in marvelous images
Dr. Seuss's extraordinary body of work is a collective treasure, but from that group of books a few stand out as his best. "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" certainly belongs in the category of Seuss's finest. Rich in clever rhymes and memorable images, this book scores a literary home run on nearly every page.

Directed towards early readers, "One Fish" uses simple language in its funny rhymes. Seuss mixes his own created words together with standard vocabulary, resulting in such memorable lines as "just jump on the hump of the Wump of Gump." And these rhymes are accompanied by a rich variety of images that can only be described as "Seussian": A mother fish pushing her offspring in a baby carriage, a bed being commandeered by a menagerie of animals, and more.

Futhermore, in "One Fish" Dr. Seuss introduces us to a wonderful assortment of Seussian creatures: the singing Ying, the hopping Yop, a truly bizarre creature known simply as "Clark," and many more. These images are sure to energize the imaginations of both children and adults.

Seuss's images range from the joyful to the eerie, from the baroque to the earthy. I give "One Fish" my most enthusiastic recommendation.

IF YOU WISH TO WISH A WISH
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At least two generations of parents and their children have now been immersed in the wonderful world of Dr Suess. The fun filled fantasy world of Dr Suess has lost none of its charm. "One Fish Two Fish" is one of his best.

The theme of this book is "funny things are everywhere". Dr Suess goes on to prove this by introducing a long list of fantastic but friendly characters. The creatures are at times outrageous looking but they are never frightening. There is no chance of monster-phobia developing in children after reading these books.

Anything is possible in this book. You have to love the seven hump Wump with its eight legs. It bears an uncanny resemblance to a camel.

Children will get to love the rhyme and rhythms of the words in this book. Children will be encouraged to make their own word play. It is possible new skills in creative thinking and even musical aptitude may emerge in children after having fun in the Suess world. On thing is for sure, a love of reading will certainly be encouraged.

Spatial thinking is encouraged with humorous signposts to Near and Far, and Here and There. Young minds will adore taking the advice "if you wish to wish a wish".

"One fish two fish" makes a great bedtime book. It is long enough and exhausting enough to pacify the most agile young mind. They can go off to dream land pondering "did you ever fly a kite in bed" and then "curl up with your Pet Zeep".

Prescient political pondering of our polarized prolatariat
Just as Seuss covered anti-intellectualism in Green Eggs and Ham, and alternate lifestyles in Hop on Pop, the Fish book is a trenchant political analysis. Foreseeing the red vs. blue state deadlock back in the idealistic better-living-through-chemistry early 1960s, Suess contrasts the red (as in communist) fish with the all-American blue fish. This motif weaves through the book, teaching little ones the red vs. blue tension of multiculturalism (in the form of strange animals) and isolationism of Ned in his too-small bed. While most younger children will miss the allusion to Procrustes, they may remember the literary echo in Hop on Pop: Ned joins Red, Ted, and Ed in a more appropriately sized bed, and Seuss shows his support for the UN, or at least the International Monetary Fund.

The tension is palpable when the young boy and girl bring home a large, walrus-like pet and wonder how their mother will feel about their deed; no preschooler could miss this reference to the Teapot Dome scandal. Similarly, their advice to get a pet Yink simply because of its fondness for pale red india writing product is a sardonic commentary on rampant consumerism. And the camel-like Wump shows his prophetic realization that our demand for oil would force us to deal with the Saudis on a regular basis.

Seuss warns us of the coming divide in these United States in the introduction: "From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere." It starts with the fish, red, blue, and black (but not white, showing where Geisel's sympathies lie), young and old, then proceeds up the evolutionary chain to large land mammals, eventually including the aforementioned school-aged boy and girl. They serve as the Adam and Eve as well as the Joe and Joan Sixpak of the book. They espouse embracing what is different while they reinforce doing the same.

Seuss knew where we were headed in both 2000 and 2004, and this book shows the way out. The US has plenty of (pale) red ink, so we should get a Yink. I think.

Every day, from here to there, funny things are everywhere
You might think that "One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish" is a Dr. Seuss book about counting or colors (or counting and colors or even counting colors), but that would simply be the hook for something much larger. The thesis of this Beginner Book appears opposite the first page, where we are informed by a small creature with a giant mustache and a yellow star for a belly button that "From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere." If anything this Dr. Seuss book has bits and pieces from lots of other Dr. Seuss books. You have a series of opposite because fish are not only red and blue but old and new, you have Ned who does not like his bed, there is Yop who only likes to hop from finger top to finger top, and all sorts of strange looking animals. There is even a creature that looks like the Cat in the Hat except he is completely yellow, including his hat, has a polka dot bow tie, and eleven fingers.

Consequently, if "One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish" is one of the first Dr. Seuss books that a beginning reader begins reading they should go back and read it again after they have gone through the rest of the good doctor's books because they will then be better able to appreciate some of the familiar faces in this book. However, since this is not a book for early beginning readers, most kids will get to this one after they have covered the basic Dr. Seuss books and become well accustomed to his delightful volumes of rhymed absurdity. This particular book has been inspiring the imagination of beginning readers since 1960 and there is no reason for it to stop with that endeavor at this point in time.

Great book
Unlike most Dr. Seuss books, this book has no real plot. For the most part it is made up of unconnected pages that flow nicely into one another. The lack of plot is not something that harms the book in my eyes, I like the chance encounters with the strange creatures, and I think the lack of a plot helps to make this story special.

Throughout this book we are introduced to a number of cute creatures from fish to Wumps to Zeds. Like all Dr. Seuss creations they are very cute, bold, colorful and expressive. Another characteristic of a Dr. Seuss book is how the words flow wonderful and manage to rhyme well in a manner completely unforced and effortless. This is one of my favorite Dr. Seuss books.

Loggie-log-log-log ... Read more

Book Description

From his very first book to his very last book, here in one big volume are 13 classic Dr. Seuss stories, everyone’s favorites. All of the words and virtually all of the illustrations are included. Each story is prefaced by a short essay by someone whose life was changed by Dr. Seuss or who is simply an unabashed admirer. Also included are photographs of Dr. Seuss, memorabilia, and original sketches from his books. The stories included are: And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, Horton Hears a Who!, McElligot’s Pool, If I Ran the Zoo, Happy Birthday to You!, Dr. Seuss’s Sleep Book, Yertle the Turtle, The Cat in the Hat, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, Green Eggs and Ham, The Lorax, The Sneetches, and Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

Theodor Geisel (a.k.a. Dr. Seuss) was born March 2, 1904, and died September 25, 1991.

With introductory essays to each story by:

Barbara Bader, Author and Critic

Stan and Jan Berenstain, Creators of The Berenstain Bears

Audrey Geisel, Widow of Dr. Seuss

Peter Glassman, Children’s Bookseller

Starr LaTronica, Children’s Librarian

John Lithgow, Actor and Children’s Book Author

Barbara Mason, Kindergarten Teacher

Richard H. Minear, Author of Dr. Seuss Goes to War

Christopher Paolini, Author of Eragon

Charles D. Cohen, Author of The Seuss, the Whole Seuss, and

Nothing but the Seuss

Pete Seeger, Folksinger

Christopher Cerf, TV Writer, Composer, and Producer

Lane Smith, Children’s Book Illustator ... Read more

Amazon.com

Oh, the wonderful things Mr. Brown can do! In this "Book of Wonderful Noises," Mr. Brown struts his stuff, as he imitates everything from popping corks to horse feet ("pop pop pop pop" and "klopp klopp klopp," respectively) while inviting everyone to join him in the fun. Young readers who are still learning their sounds and letters will get a wacky workout as they follow along with the very serious-looking, squinty-eyed Mr. Brown. Whether it's eggs frying in a pan or a hippo chewing gum, the skillful Mr. Brown just keeps topping himself, with a "sizzle sizzle" or a "grum grum grum." "Mr. Brown is so smart he can even do this: he can even make a noise like a goldfish kiss!... pip!" As usual, the words and pictures of Dr.Seuss make reading (and making all sorts of funny noises) impossible to resist. Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? will stay fresh through many a giggling reading. --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Reviews (89)

A wonderful first book for your baby!
I first started reading this book to my baby at 2 months old, and she was fascinated by the sounds and the bright pictures. I've read it to her so many times that I think we both have it memorized. When my baby was 3 months old I could simply recite the book to her while I was driving in a car trip and she would be entertained.

I highly recommend this book, along with Sanda Boynton's two books "Barnyard Dance" and "Moo, Baa, La La La!" books for infants and toddlers. With books that are interesting like these, my baby will sit for 45 minutes at a time to be read to!

A great way to interact with your child and teach her to love books and read.

AN ABSOLUTE MUST FOR SPEECH-DELAYED TODDLERS!
My son (now 3) is speech-delayed, and this is one of the first books that actually had him talking along! I would read, "Oh, the wonderful sounds Mr. Brown can do. He can sound like a cow, he can go..." and my son at 2 would yell "MOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" and do the same with the other sounds! It ENCOURAGES your child to speak by having them make some silly sounds! We even came up with hand gestures for several of the sounds to supplement my son's sign language (ASL) he used at the time. We read this book every night at least 4 times before bed. As his speech flourished (yay!), he began to want to say more of the words himself (we've memorized the book - not hard, and very fun to recite when waiting in lines, etc, heeheehee). Then, we bought him the Dr. Seuss video of ABCs, which has this book's "video" at the end. He watches the video with this book in hand, although the video has a few more sounds (I think this board book is a bit abridged, but not too much), and is now learning to read with the video/board book combination! I am HIGHLY pleased with this book, from it's hilarious illustrations (see lightning/thunder page) to it's musical cadence and silly sounds - it helped my son realize sounds can be fun and silly and encouraged him to play with them when speech was so frustrating for him at the time.

Fun reading, but not very sturdy
I have bought several of the Dr. Suess Bright and Early Board Books, and they simply don't stand up to the abuse a toddler dishes out. None of the other board books we own have fallen apart the way these have.

My 2 year old loves this book!
My daughter just loves having me read this book to her. "Boom boom boom, Mr. Brown is a wonder. Boom boom boom, Mr. Brown makes thunder!" She has memorized most of it, and has such fun making the sounds in it along with me. It really is worth buying for your little one - this is really a fun book to read!

Dr. Seuss inspires parents and kids to make wonderful noises
In the old days it was Old MacDonald who had a farm and on this farm he had a cow, duck, and all sorts of other animals, each of which made a particular sound that can be imitated. But then along game Mr. Brown, a creation of Dr. Seuss, who makes Old MacDonald look like the strong silent type. That is because as we learn in "Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You?: Dr. Seuss's Book of Wonderful Noises," Mr. Brown can do more than "moo" like a cow, "buzz" like a bee, and go "hoo hoo hoo hoo" like an owl. Mr. Brown can go "pop" like a cork, "eek eek" like a squeaky shoe, and even make the sound of a hippopotamus chewing gum.

I think one of the reasons this is a popular book with beginning readers is not only because kids enjoy making all these noises, but also because parents and other adults get to embarrass themselves in making the sounds on these pages come alive (or a reasonable facsimile thereof). Trying to make the sound of the rain or a big cat drinking is not too hard, but doing a very hard noise to make like the sound of lighting (which is a "splatt" apparently) or a noise like a goldfish kiss ("pip") might be pushing the envelope too much.

Of course, you can make up any sound you want when you are reading this to very young children. But you have to keep in mind that the whole point of these Bright and Early Books for Beginning Beginners is to inspire them to read on their own one day, which means you can look forward to being confronted by an indignant young child demanding to know how the noise you made every time you read them the book has anything to do with what is highlighted on these pages. So be forewarned, that sooner or later you are going to be embarrassed reading this book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When Dr. Seuss gets serious, you know it must be important. Published in 1971, and perhaps inspired by the "save our planet" mindset of the 1960s, The Lorax is an ecological warning that still rings true today amidst the dangers of clear-cutting, pollution, and disregard for the earth's environment. In The Lorax, we find what we've come to expect from the illustrious doctor: brilliantly whimsical rhymes, delightfully original creatures, and weirdly undulating illustrations. But here there is also something more--a powerful message that Seuss implores both adults and children to heed.

The now remorseful Once-ler--our faceless, bodiless narrator--tells the story himself. Long ago this enterprising villain chances upon a place filled with wondrous Truffula Trees, Swomee-Swans, Brown Bar-ba- loots, and Humming-Fishes. Bewitched by the beauty of the Truffula Tree tufts, he greedily chops them down to produce and mass-market Thneeds. ("It's a shirt. It's a sock. It's a glove. It's a hat.") As the trees swiftly disappear and the denizens leave for greener pastures, the fuzzy yellow Lorax (who speaks for the trees "for the trees have no tongues") repeatedly warns the Once-ler, but his words of wisdom are for naught. Finally the Lorax extricates himself from the scorched earth (by the seat of his own furry pants), leaving only a rock engraved "UNLESS." Thus, with his own colorful version of a compelling morality play, Dr. Seuss teaches readers not to fool with Mother Nature. But as you might expect from Seuss, all hope is not lost--the Once-ler has saved a single Truffula Tree seed! Our fate now rests in the hands of a caring child, who becomes our last chance for a clean, green future. (Ages 4 to 8) ... Read more

Reviews (58)

The Lorax - Still Powerful After 30 Years
Children used to Dr. Seuss' lighthearted, whimsical stories filled with wacky names and places will undoubtedly perceive a vast difference with "The Lorax". It still contains the wacky names, places, and rhymes, so characteristic of Seuss, but with one blatant overtone. This story goes all out to show the devestating consequences of human greed, and what can happen to the environment when humans misuse and take advantage of nature and natural resources.

The story begins when a boy comes to the home of a peculair creature called Once-ler. The boy wants to know about something called the Lorax; "what it was", and "why it was there". After paying the Once-ler a small fee, he narrates the story for the boy. The pictures incorperated into the story are also poignant; for, as we see in the beginning, the small town in which the Once-ler lives is very grey and barren.

However, as the Once-ler begins his story, the pictures become brighter, more cheerful, and colorful, as we see how the town once looked, long, long ago. There were animals, birds, green grass ... and trees!

The Once-ler says, "I came to this glorious place. And I first saw the trees. The Truffula trees". Transfixed by these trees, the Once-ler cuts one down to make a "Thneed". Now, a Thneed is supposed to be a useful thing, which people can find many uses for. Shortly after the first tree is cut down, the Lorax appears. He explains that he talks on behalf of the trees, because the trees cannot talk for themselves. "They have no tongues".

The Lorax is very upset at what the Once-ler has done. But the Once-ler ignores him, and continues to cut down the trees to make Thneeds, until all the trees have been cut down. This action, of cutting down the trees, building a factory to make the thneeds, and releasing waste residue into the water is greatly illustrated in the pictures, showing the cause and effect of polluting the environment.

Eventually the pictures return to the grey, morbid colors we see in the beginning. The Lorax has had to make all the birds, animals and fish leave the town before they die of hunger and starvation, and before they choke to death on all the smog generated by the Once-ler's factory.

As we can clearly see in "The Lorax", Dr. Seuss is making a very defined political statement about how humans have manipulated and destroyed our natural surroundings for their own personal greed. "The Lorax" was written in 1971, in the hayday of environmental activism, and one year after the first Earth Day.

Still, Dr. Suess does not make this story into a gloomy one. He gives us hope. The Once-ler tosses down a seed to the boy; the one last remaining Truffula seed. With this one seed, Dr. Seuss tells us the possiblities are endless, and hope is not lost.

A Serious Message in Classic Suess Style
I grew up on Dr. Suess books(I even learned to read with one), and I think he is one of the greatest children's authors ever. His hypnotic phrasing and wonderful illustrations are enough to delight children and adults as well (my brothers and I still enjoy looking through our old Suess favorites). In my senior year of high school, I had the opportunity to go with two other classmates to a local elementary school on a weekly basis to teach basic lessons on honesty, friendship, etc. When we taught our lesson on the environment, I brought "The Lorax" to read to the class. To my surprise, when I asked who in the class had read the story, only three out of the 28 students had. Many looked skeptical, thinking it was a little kid's book, but once I started reading, the entire class was mesmerized. After I was finished with the story, we had the most lively question-and-answer session that we had ever had-the story really hit home with the kids and brought our planet'! s ecological crisis into terms that they could understand. Afterward, many of the children asked where they could get a copy of "The Lorax". Thank you to Dr. Suess for a masterpiece of children's literature!

Inspiring for a lifetime
When I was in elementary school in the mid-1970s, probably around the age of 7 or 8, all the students in the school were assembled and shown the film of the Lorax. The film was very similar to the film of The Grinch that was made at about the same time and is now a video classic - - wonderful animation and great word-for-word narrative reading of the text. I had been unaware of the book before that. I remember very clearly being very moved and inspired by the tale, and I can trace part of my development as an environmentalist to it. I now work in environmental outreach/education, and every once in a while I get out the book of The Lorax and get re-inspired, especially by the line "UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." I still find the book very relevant to today. It's not extremist in any way. Even its depiction of the Once-ler is not as an evil man, but someone very recognizable. He doesn't mean harm, but "Business is business, and business must grow." Sound familiar? He doesn't recognize the damage he's causing, or understand just how painful and permanent it will be, until too late. This book reminds all of us to not take our beautiful world for granted, but to take responsibility for it.

One of the best Seuss books there is!
This story about being a steward for our world and environment is a job for parents and kids alike. My two year old has is memorized (as I do) but we never tire of reading it.

The Lorax
My children love this book. By the time my son was two, I had read it to him so many times that he had memorized it! He, as well as my daughter, just love this story. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This timeless Dr. Seuss classic was first published in 1960, and has been delighting readers ever since. Sam-I-am is as persistent as a telemarketer, changing as many variables as possible in the hopes of convincing the nameless skeptic that green eggs and ham are a delicacy to be savored. He tries every manner of presentation with this "nouveau cuisine"--in a house, with a mouse, in a box, with a fox, with a goat, on a boat--to no avail. Then finally, finally the doubter caves under the tremendous pressure exerted by the tireless Sam-I-am. And guess what? Well, you probably know what happens, but even after reading Green Eggs and Ham the thousandth time, the climactic realization that green eggs and ham are "so good, so good, you see" is still a rush. As usual, kids will love Dr. Seuss's wacky rhymes and whimsical illustrations--and this time, they might even be so moved as to finally take a taste of their broccoli. (Ages 4 to 8) ... Read more

Reviews (136)

A great pre-reading tool
As a certified elementary school teacher and practicing preschool teacher (3-year-olds), I highly recommend this book! There isn't a day when I don't hear "Ms. Molly, read 'Sam-I-Am!'" My poor copy of "Green Eggs and Ham" is tattered, torn, missing pages and is in the process of losing its cover! When I read it, the children follow along and are able to recall the rhyming words when I intentionally skip them (a skill which usually surfaces at a later age.)

When we have free time in the classroom, there is a mad dash to the bookshelf to fetch "Green Eggs and Ham." I sit out of sight while the children quietly sit down with "Green Eggs and Ham" and watch them turn the pages and "read" the story. They know what lines belong to which page by "reading" the pictures. This is one of the earliest and most positive signs of reading readiness. Of course the children aren't "reading" the words, but they are becoming aware of letters as symbols for sounds. I often hear them mimicking my many interpretations of the book (some of which get quite enthusiastic!) and other children gather round the "reader" to hear the story, sometimes helping out! The benefits they are reaping from this story alone marks the beginning of an enjoyable journey through the many facets of language development (reading, comprehension, phonics, rhyming, speaking, listening, and interpretation.)

Not only is the book full of fun phrases, fantasic illustrations, lively characters and poignant messages, but also is a great tool for learning about the initial processes of reading and recognizing written language. In later years, "Green Eggs and Ham" and other books as endearing (whether the children will realize it or not) may lead to a love of books and reading which may help them succeed in school.

I have no doubt that my students will forget who "Ms. Molly" is in their teenage years and beyond, but they will ALWAYS hold in their hea! rts a special memory that is "Green Eggs and Ham."

Green Eggs And Ham
Green egg's and ham has been my favorite book of all time since i can remember, even after reading it 80,000 times, i still love it..Its about a silly old cat named Dr. Suess and he trys to get his friend sam, to try green eggs and ham. Sam kept avoiding and running away from dr. suess because he didnt like the idea of green eggs and ham..Dr. suess tried over and over, would you eat it on a plane?would you eat it on a train? Noo said sam, but in the end sam gives in, and realizes how good green eggs and ham are. I would reccomend this book to children and adults of ALL ages 1-99! great book! read it!

Green Eggs and Ham, 50 Word Vocabulary
This book is extraordinarily good. This is my number one favorite book. It is the ultimate Seuss experience. Dr. Seuss wrote the story using only 50 words. I recommend the Green Eggs and Ham board game and the videos or DVDs. I also recommend the Green Eggs and Ham CD ROM game by Living Books. I have been reading reviews by customers who like the book and I agree with all their favorable reviews.

Rene's Review
I like the book Green Eggs and Ham because it is an easy book to read.Since I don't really like to read this is an easy book to read. And what I like the most of the book is that it makes over a hundred words that rhyme. This book was written by one of the most famous authors ,Dr.Seuss.

Dr. Seuss explores the principle of "try it, you'll like it"
When Theodor "Ted" Seuss Geisel, a.k.a. Dr. Seuss, died at the age of 87 on September 24, 1991, the best tribute of all to the beloved author and illustrator of children's books came four days later when the Rev. Jeese Jackson read "Green Eggs and Ham" during the Weekend Update segment of the season premier of "Saturday Night Live." That performance was so unexpectedly moving that it is impossible for me to read this classic tale for beginning readers and not hear Jackson's rhythm and cadences.

The protagonist of "Green Eggs and Ham" expresses the fact that he does not like Sam-I-am, so when Sam-I-am asks him if he likes green eggs and ham the response is also a negative. The equating of the green eggs and ham with Sam-I-am is extended through a logical progression of places (here or there), circumstances (in a house with a mouse or in a box with a fox), to hyperbolic proportions (in a car on a boat with a goat on a train in the rain). Despite the insistence of Sam-I-am that the protagonist might enjoy the green eggs and ham if only he were to try them, it is not a compromise position is worked out (trying the green eggs and ham in exchange for end to being pestered to death) that the story reaches its climax and resolution.

While I appreciate the importance of the idea that somebody should try something before they dismiss it (a principle that applies to not only food but theatrical releases and political candidates), I do want to point out that many years after my childhood, during which time the information would have been of prime importance, scientists established that different things do indeed taste differently to different people. So it is possible not to like green eggs and ham (or spinach, for example), and not be a repudiation of the life work of Dr. Seuss. But you do have to at least give strange food a chance before you take an absolute position against eating it under any and all conceivable circumstances. ... Read more

Book Description

Illus. in full color. A collection of tongue twisters that is "an amusing exercise for beginning readers."--Kirkus. ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Dr. Seuss genius at work
Sure, it teaches valuable vocabulary words and rhyme schemes to tiny tots. And no doubt there's a thesis somewhere comparing hapless Knox to Stalin knocking heads against the red-white-and-blue American Fox. But *Fox in Socks* is above all other things the first instrument of torture children can use against their parents.

Take Father, tired out from a hard day at the office. "Read me a story, Daddy," coos his blond princess. Father bravely tries to wrap his tongue around "Luke Luck likes lakes./ Luke's duck likes lakes." Daddy's little angel chortles with each misspoken word -- and there are plenty of them by the time he arrives at the muddle puddle tweetle poodle beetle noodle battle paddle battle." She goes to sleep secure in the knowledge that not only can she grow up to be president, but that she's already smarter than her poor parents.

And that's the genius of Dr. Suess. His tongue teasers and outrageous Goo Gooses and Bim Bens and Tweedle Beetles don't just foster imagination -- they encourage kids to let it run rampant.

Classic Seuss for Children of Any Age - Better than 5 Stars
Although Amazon advertises this book for ages 4-8, my wife and I started reading this and other Seuss books to our children from 6 months on. Always a delight, our kids would laugh at the silliness while acquiring a zest for life at the same time. We started a great habit of reading two or three Seuss books before bed, and the kids loved them. Soon, they would memorize many of the phrases, beginning a lifelong passion for reading.

Every kid should experience reading Fox in Socks while growing up. Join the Fox in Socks as he leads Mr. Knox on a zany adventure of learning and silly rhymes. Combine it with other fun Seuss books and your kids will sit enthralled as you turn the pages. Highly recommended.

What other Dr. Seuss book comes with a warning label?
On the front cover of "Fox in Socks," one of the "I Can Read It All By Myself" Beginner Books authored and illustrated by Dr. Seuss there appears the following warning:

"This is a book you READ ALOUD to find out just how smart your tongue is. The first time you read it, don't go fast! This Fox is a tricky fox. He'll try to get your tongue in trouble."

Just in case you missed the small print on the cover as soon as you open the book there is an even larger warning instructing you to "Take it Slowly" becaseu "This Book is Dangerous!" If that is not an invitation for young kids to read a book, then I do not know what would be. However, there is a good chance that your tongue will be numb by the time you finish read about "Knox on fox in socks in box," "Six sick bricks tick," and "Sue sews socks of fox in socks now." But if you can call something "a tweetle bettle noodle poodle bottled paddled muddled duddled fuddled wuddled fox in socks," then you need not be a-feared of anything else you ever read in the rest of your life.

"Fox in Socks" is dedicated to Mizi Long and Audrey Dimond of the Mt. Soledad Lingual Laboratories, who I suspect helped Theodor Geisel identify the specific phonetics that beginning readers would have to work on (I had to spend a week repeating some nonsense about "thirty thousand boys with thirty thousand drums" to work on the "th" sound). When you remember that the genesis for "The Cat in the Hat" was the idea of taking 220 basic words, rhyming them, and turning them into a book that would make children more interested in reading than having to deal with Dick, Jane, Sally, and Spot ("See Spot Run. Run Spot Run. Fetch the ball, Spot"). "Fox in Socks" is a clear reminder that these books are not just a lot of fun when you read "Duck takes licks in lakes Luke Luck likes" but also educational, in the best sense of the word.

Fox? socks? Knox? It rocks!!!
A great book. It was my child hood favorite and I'll never forget the first time I I was able to read the book all the way through. To bad I lost it, I'd pay good money to have my book back!

Fox in Socks
Do you like rhymes for just dimes? Funny characters looking odd or a smile while you nod? Get this book its great whether you are a lass or a mate, read it with a sandwich or a hoagie if you are a young spry of an old foagie. ... Read more

Amazon.com

First published in 1963, Hop on Pop remains a perennial favorite when it comes to teaching kids to read. Here, as in most of his extensive body of work, Dr. Seuss creates uncomplicated, monosyllabic rhymes to foster learning and inspire children to read. But what was radical about this little book at the time of publication (and what makes it still compelling today) is Seuss's departure from the traditionally dull pictures and sentences used in reading primers. In contrast, the illustrations here are wild and wonderful, and the accompanying language, while simple, is delightfully silly. For example, the rhyme "THREE TREE / Three fish in a tree / Fish in a tree? / How can that be?" is brought to life with a trio of plump, self-satisfied fish perched atop globular branches as two stymied hybrid dog-rabbit-humanoids look on in consternation. Hop on Pop does much more than teach children the basics of word construction, it also introduces them to the incomparable pleasure of reading a book. (Ages Baby to Preschooler) ... Read more

Reviews (43)

The best beginner's book for children
If you want to help your children learn to think of reading as fun rather than a chore, "Hop On Pop" is the best place to start. I bought my son this book when he was two and a half and for weeks afterwards it was his favorite bedtime story. Seuss's genius in writing this enchanting book was in combining some hilarious illustrations which the kids love with easy rhyming words which encourage children to read phonetically. When a child sees the words "Ed, Ned, Red and Ted in the..." and he knows what sound "b" makes, the word "Bed" comes almost automatically. The story itself is appealing to all toddlers (what two-year-old doesn't like to hop on Pop?) and the rhymes are almost hypnotic. Read this book aloud enough times and you start chanting to yourself "Pup up, Brown down, pup is down, where is Brown, where is Brown, there is Brown, Mister Brown is out of town." (Your child will either look at you like you are nuts or join in enthusiastically.) Three months after I bought this book for my son, he was reading it out loud to me. "Hop On Pop" is a great way to get the kids started with a lifelong interest in reading.

Ed, Ned, Ted, and Red in Bed??
"Hop on Pop" and "Green Eggs and Ham" were the apex of Theodore Giesel's (Dr. Seuss's) creative genius. Hop on Pop is a rhythmic romp through the joys of reading, rhyme, and sight for babies, infants, toddlers, and parents alike. The work is both ageless and timeless. I read this book to my 4-month old and it never fails to get him squealing and wide-eyed in delight. Maybe he doesn't understand the subtlety and weirdness of three fish in a tree or a bunch of people in bed together but it was the sixties...besides their names rhyme, so there is fun to still be had in the PC 00's.

There are so many things to enjoy about this book, that it's hard to find a place to begin. The weird hybrid creatures, the creative rhymes and wordplay...my favorites are the thing that can sing a long long song. I break out in overblown Pavarotti-extravagance singing and the boy is sure to either laugh or look at me strangely...is this Dad or is this an alien? But the biggest joy of the book comes at the end when Seuss strings together endless rhymes with endless rhythm in the string of run-on words, "hethreemewepatpuppophethreetreebeetophopstop." It will be indelibly stamped on your brain and give your child the joy of reading as well as reminding you how truly fun words and pictures can be. Thanks for all times go out to the good Doctor.

The Poems are way too short
I bought Hop On Pop (1963)at Target drug stores around Dr. Suess' 99th birthday because I totally admire the books by Theodore Suesss Giesl (Dr. Suess)(1904-1991).But the poems are way too short.I don't HATE this book,but it's not really one of my favorites.The illustrations were well done but the poems wern't really much of poems.they just have two rhyming words then a sentance using the words.For example:"All/Tall/We are all tall".Sometimes there's a word in a sentance that's not in the rhymes(Example:"Pat/Sat/Pat sat on bat.").Sometimes they even use a rhyming wordthat is not used in a sentance(Example:"Ball/Wall/Up on a wall.").If you're gonna go buy a Dr.Suess Begginer or Bright And Early book,buy The Cat In The Hat (1957) or Oh,The Thinks You Can Think!(1975)because I like those two a lot more.

Another Seuss Favorite
It's another classic tongue-tying Seuss rhyming book.

My Son Loves It!
My 17 month old son calls this book "Pop" and wants to read it all of the time. It is one of the easiest Dr. Seuss books, with very few words per page. I highly recommend this book for toddlers. ... Read more

Amazon.com

BIG R, little r,
what begins with R?
Rosy's red rhinoceros.
R...r...R

From Aunt Annie's Alligator to Rosy's red rhinoceros to a Zizzer-Zazzer-Zuzz, learning the alphabet is bound to be fun with Dr. Seuss. And with this small, sturdy board-book version of his classic ABC book (Dr. Seuss's ABC), even the tiniest tots can indulge in a little alphabetical education. Each letter is featured with Dr. Seuss's unmistakably nonsensical illustrations and text: "Lion with a lollipop," "Camel on the ceiling," "Uncle Ubb's umbrella and his underwear, too." The youngest readers-to-be will get lots of letter practice with the repetitive use of each letter and the easy-to-memorize rhythmic rhymes. Soon your favorite preschooler will be reading this book aloud to you! (Baby to preschool) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Wonderful Book - My 6 month old gets excited when I read it.
This is a great (board) book. It's the perfect length to hold my 6 month old's attention - 1 to 2 letters per page! It has wonderful rhymes and is easy to memorize! It has great colours and illustrations. My little one can hold it while we read, without worry of ripping pages. I recommend it to all parents.

NOT the original text
I've read _Dr Seuss's ABC_ an uncountable number of times. As a result -- and like many of you who have suffered from a toddler's tendency to fixate on a favorite book -- I can recite almost the entire thing from memory. (I get tripped up occasionally on the sections that run through the alphabet-to-date -- I want to go on to the next rhyme instead of saying ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO...P!)

I therefore consider myself qualified to say that this 'abridged' board book is NOT THE REAL THING.

Let me recommend that you ignore this and find the original version. If you're worried about pages getting torn by the your youngest 'readers,' let me suggest that you buy several cheap used copies, and replace them as needed, instead of buying this sturdy but graceless cardboard version.

Return to a more gentler past.
This book returned me to a more gentler past. Reading and sharing the illustrations to my three month old granddaughter kept her spellbound and attentive. We as parents/grandparents must understand that learning begins in utero, and this book continues a logical progression for lifelong learning. I give this book two grand parental thumbs up!!!!!

B, b, what begins with B? Bastardized Board Book, B B B
The original book is great, but this edition has been butchered beyond belief. All the original pictures have been preserved, but the text has been chopped up to fit into the size limits of the format. For example, P: "Painting Pink Pajamas, Policeman in a a Pail. Peter Pepper's puppy. And now Papa's in the pail." becomes "Painting some pajamas pink. P...p...P." Spend the money and get the full-sized version.

Hatchet job on original
The original Seuss ABC is a lot of fun; good rhyme and meter. This one has been horribly hacked up to fit the board book format.

For example, the original entry for X is: "X is very useful if your name is Nixie Knox. It also comes in handy spelling ax and extra fox." Silly and bouncy. The board book version says: "X-ray and xylophone." ... Read more

Book Description

Illus. in full color. A mad outpouring of made-up words, and intriguing ideas. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

But can you think as many thinks as Dr. Seuss thinks?
"Life" magazine published a report in May of 1954 about illiteracy among American school children. One of the key things in this article was that children were not inspired to read because their books were boring, which is to say the world of Dick, Jane and Spot. So it came to pass that Theodore Geisel's publisher sent him and a list of 400 words that had to be cut to 250 (because that was how many words it was believed a first grader could understand before their heads exploded or something), and then write a book. At this point in the history of the world Geisel was best known as the creator of Gerald McBoing-Boing, an animated character for which he won an Oscar. The book, of course, was "The Cat in the Hat," which used 220 of those words, and for the rest of his life Dr. Seuss wrote books that were part of the Beginner Books and Bright and Early Books series, which proudly allowed young kids to proclaim "I Can Read It All By Myself." Consequently, Dr. Seuss was one of the major forces in American literacy in the last half of the 20th century.

But beyond that, Dr. Seuss was the personification of imagination for all those generations of children, and this particular legacy is embodied best in his 1975 book "Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!" Told in the distinctive verse style of Dr. Seuss, this book gets young readers to think about all the things then can think if only they try. The book is filled with the delightful creatures of Dr. Seuss's own fertile imagination, from the Guff and the Snuvs to the Bloogs and the Rink-Rinker-Fink. However, my favorite is the Jibboo: what would you do if you met one? After reading this delightful book beginning readers can either make up their own thinks or they can try out their imagination by thinking of what happens next in these pictures, where strange creatures enjoy beautiful schlopp with a cherry on top or visiting the Vipper of Vipp. There is a reason why virtually every one of the books Dr. Seuss wrote are considered classics and it is due as much to the imagination that he displays on each and every page as it is to his ability to arrange 220 (or more) words in non-boring ways.

Review on Oh,the thinks you can think
The book oh, the thinks you can think is about all the things you can think about when you have nothing to do. It is about things that Dr. Seuss has made up things that he has thought of at one time, I think this is a good book because it can help kids think of things or anything they want to be when their older, the book has good easy sentances to read it is really something to think about

Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!
Dr. Seuss magically takes readers on an adventure of imagination and thinking. His nonsense words and rhyme scheme keep a reader's interest at any age level.

Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!
This delightfully illustrated, simply readable, and wonderfully silly volume is one of my favorite of Seuss. It uses simple rhymes and easy words perfect either for parents to read aloud, or for beginning readers to read by themselves.

Unlike Green Eggs and Ham and many of his other stories, this book follows no storyline, but simply takes children (and their parents) on a delightful journey of the imagination.

Oh, the Thinks You CAN Think!!!
Oh, the Thinks You Can Think is the best book that expresses a childs best of thier imagination. This is the type of book, if your a parent and you have a little one that has a wild imagination than this book is great for them. Now i may of read it quite a while ago, but it is still stuck in side my head after all these years. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Wonderfully Rhymed in Spanish
As a child I loved to read Dr. Seuss in english, with its witty and funny rhymes so I was delighted to find a translation in spanish for my daughter to read and further delighted when the translation was so well done that it was as fun and witty as the original version. The story is a perfect example of how resisting to try new things is sometimes downright silly. It is one of our favorites to read at any time during the day!

Love it!!
The translator did a great job keeping the fun in
the reading of this book.
My 20 month old baby love it. We used to read the
english version before, and since we found the spanish
version and that is the lenguage we choose to speak
at home, we have "Juan Ramon" visits every evening and
a great laugh from my boy.

¡Me gusta mucho este libro!
After I had read this book to my nieces and nephews, my nine-year-old nephew picked up "Corre, perro, corre" by P.D. Eastman and read it all the way through in English, including "me gusta," which he had not heard prior to hearing this book. Reading is a great language teacher!

I asked the kids why the main character's name is Juan Ramón instead of Sam, and my nephew said immediately, "Well, it has to rhyme with jamón, of course."

I had purchased this book for my students, but it was obvious I was going to have to get another for my nieces and nephews! At least I have no problem knowing what to get them for birthdays and Christmas gifts! (They certainly don't need any more toys!)

You will hear it all day long!
I love this funny and musical version of the english favourite. My son loves it and can even finish the rhymes by now. Even my husband who does not speak spanish (yet!) loves repeating the simple sentences that make this book so much fun. A must in our family bed every morning, a great way to start the day!

My Daughter¿s Favorite!
This book became my daughter's favorite since the first time I read it to her. She's three and a half years old, and I have been reading this book to her at least twice a day since I got it, a week ago. The rhymes are beautiful and my daughter has memorized some of them, which she keeps repeating during the day. Excellent book! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Surely among the most lovable of all Dr. Seuss creations, Horton the Elephant represents kindness, trustworthiness, and perseverance--all wrapped up, thank goodness, in a comical and even absurd package. Horton hears a cry for help from a speck of dust, and spends much of the book trying to protect the infinitesimal creatures who live on it from the derision and trickery of other animals, who think their elephant friend has gone quite nutty. But worse is in store: an eagle carries away the clover in which Horton has placed the life-bearing speck, and "let that small clover drop somewhere inside / of a great patch of clovers a hundred miles wide!" Horton wins in the end, after persuading the "Who's" to make as much noise as possible and prove their existence. This classic is not only fun, but a great way to introduce thoughtful children to essentially philosophical questions.How, after all, are we so sure there aren't invisible civilizations floating by on every mote? (Ages 4 to 8) --Richard Farr ... Read more

Reviews (34)

On the 15th of May, in the Jungle of Nool...
My favorite Dr Seuss book as a child, and now a favorite of my kids.

There are so many messages in this book, but they are never forced upon the reader. You are free to read it as a gentle story, a discussion of politics, a moral tale about the role of the individual in a community, or simply some of the catchiest poetry ever written. And who couldn't love Horton, hate Vlad, and cheer at the young kangaroo's last "me too"?

The fabulous story deserves to be in the center of any family's children's collection...and should be in with the grown-up books too.

Even one little voice can tip the scale
A great book with a lot of positive lessons.

Horton, an elephant, is the only animal who can hear sounds of life on a little speck of dust. Other animals think he is crazy and want to destroy the speck. But Horton sticks up for the inhabitants of the little village on the dust speck. He urges them to scream as loud as possible to prove their existence.

There are a lot of lessons in the story. It teaches kindness and determination; it teaches to care about others, even if they are as small as creatures on a speck of dust. But for me, the most important lesson is that EVEN ONE LITTLE VOICE CAN TIP THE SCALE! Upon Horton's request, all the inhabitants on the dust speck start crying out as loud as they can. But Horton's friends still cannot hear their little voices. The inhabitants of the dust speck were all screaming together ... all but one. Only when that one little voice was added to the "chorus", animals were finally able to hear them crying out. And so is in our lives: each voice, each good deed, counts, and each good deed can finally tip the scale for good in the world. The book teaches that if you want the world to be a better place, as small as you may be (just one person out of millions?), YOUR "VOICE" COUNTS!!!

Perhaps his best one
People are valuable no matter how small. No matter how powerless and no matter how little influence they have.

A good message and written as a moving story that even little kids can follow along with even if they can't grasp the entirety of the message.

I don't know if Dr. Suess meant this story to be a pro life message, but it certainly works for that cause. He makes a compelling arguement for one, in this case Horton, to fight against the odds and disfavor of the group for the cause of a single insignificant and unknown person.

I highly recommend this book.

Seuss at the top of his game
The best (in my opinion, of course) Dr. Seuss book. It has all of the music of his other writings, but (unlike some of his books) a compelling story as well. And what better message for your child to learn than "People are people, no matter how small."?

"Big" enough for kids to understand!
If you've never read this story, you and any children you read it to, are really in for a treat!

This is one of those children's stories that introduce really huge concepts and really important things to think about - wrapped in a wonderful tale.

It's a "big" story - an elephant with a big heart and his willingness to sacrifice for others.

We learn that size of one's body doesn't matter - it's the size of one's heart that really counts. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"When I was quite young and quite small for my size, I met an old man in the Desert of Drize." The old man looks like a cross between a cartoon granddad and a swami; he sits on top of a cactus, and tells his young listener that the best way to get over any sadness is to imagine all the ways you could be worse off. "Suppose, just suppose, you were poor Herbie Hart, who has taken his Throm-dim-bu-lator apart!"This has a more hurried, formulaic feel than the best Seuss, and it seems to showcase a less acute grasp of child psychology than usual. (Does it really make a child feel better to think of poor Harry Haddow, who, "try as he will, can't make a shadow," or Gucky Gown, "who lives by himself ninety miles out of town"?) But the illustrations alone make this morality tale a minor classic. (Ages 4 to 8) --Richard Farr ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Everyone Should own This!
Adults as well as children appreciate this book. The message that we should all consider how lucky we are is delivered in classical Seuss style with rhymes and nonsensical words - but is still a powerful message that most of us need to hear now and then. I consider this one of his best works because it not only delivers a good message, reading it is delightful entertainment. Read it aloud to both young and old.

One of my favorite Seuss books.
When one mentions 'Dr. Seuss' the cat in the hat, Green Eggs and Ham and of course, the Grinch who Stole Christmas come to mind, yet this has always been considered a classic. Why you are asking, just why is that? Is it because it is good, or bombastic? Why is this book considered a classic? Could it be it's marvelous jokes, or it's enjoyable little mischevious pokes, at the world around. Is it because it is so implausible, in fact applausible, in it's own right? Could it be that it is more fun to read at night? Why isn't it here or there? Why isn't it anywhere? The content of the book at charge, is amazingly hysterical, the enjoyment was large. If I had to choose one book by Seuss, this would be the only one to NOT say, vamous. It is philisophical, optical, practical, and factual. It can be enjoyable for 3-year-old Sally or 30-year-old Sam! After reading such a great book, I personally took a second look, at how lucky I really am.

Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are
This was, by far, my favorite book growing up. I loved trying to figure out how to say the strange words and eventually, I could almost recite the entire book from memory. I still can the first few pages. I don't know that I was helped psycologically, but it sure was and is a fun book!

and you think YOU have it bad...!!
Theodore Seuss Guisel is, of course, one of the best known children's authors today. Though he left us in 1994, his legacy lives on and his books are still produced, bought and loved as much now as anytime in the past. When we think of him, we immediately think of "The Cat in the Hat" or "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", but we can easily forget some of his wonderful, lesser-known works. "When I was quite young and quite small for my size I met an old man in the Desert of Drize..." So begins "Did I Ever Tell You..." where the narrator finds an old man sitting atop a prickly cactus in the middle of the desert. The man tells the boy narrator that whenever HE feels like his life isn't going well, he reminds himself how lucky he really IS. He could be, for example, a construction worker on the impossibly rickety Bunglebung Bridge, where workers are toiling over the water to finish the impossibly crooked structure. Yes, things could be far worse!! You could be a Poogle-Horn Player who has to honk away on your complex, tuba-like Poogle-Horn while descending a flight of stairs... on a two story unicycle, no less!! The absurdness of people less fortunate splash across each page, Seuss-like, as Mr. Bix wakes up at 6 in the morning to find that his Borfin has schlumpped over, or Mr. Potter who has to dot i's and cross t's on endless, miles-long spools of paper! Yes, things could be far worse than they are, Ducky, so count yourself lucky! Published in 1973, "Have I Ever Told You..." is a wonderfully funny book with some subtle messages. Written during a period of time when parents were still forever admonishing their children, "you're so lucky to be able to eat those Brussels sprouts!! Why, there's children starving in Africa..." the book can be seen as a lesson in morality and thankfulness OR as satire of those very parents who encourage children to think of those less fortunate than them when they crank about life's inequities. Satire or morality play, "Have I Ever Told You..." is classical Seuss at his best. The illustrations are properly absurd and colorful, splashing across the page in Seuss's perennial style. There's humans assembling bridges as well as odd creatures getting stuck in 4-way traffic jams. The illustrations are uncluttered and the text is easy to read, making it an excellent choice for beginning to intermediate readers. A wonderfully fun book, and highly recommended!!

Stick to the book and don't bother with this one...
What is the point of the "video of the book" if all it does is repeat the pictures in the book? What passes as animation here is practically non existent -- a slow succession of static images in which only the occasional detail is animated (and only in the most basic of fashions at that). John Cleese's narration is fine, but the rest is inexcusably cheap and pointless. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Foot Book is a delightful tribute to the diverse and multifaceted world of feet. Not merely a realm of ankles, arches, and toes--as this self-proclaimed "Wacky Book of Opposites" attests--the podiatry province welcomes all kinds: "Slow feet/Quick feet/Well feet/Sick feet." Dr. Seuss has put his best foot forward here, in a whimsical approach to showcasing opposites. Wet feet contrast dry feet, and low feet contrast high feet. Though hot feet and cold feet aren't specifically referenced, we get the sense that those are okay too. As usual, the rhymes are quick and quirky, and Seuss's illustrations will knock kids' socks off. (Baby to preschool) ... Read more

Reviews (37)

The Foot Book
The Foot Book, is a great book for little children. This book teaches begining readers easy words to read, and opposites. By the time you finish this book you will be able to tell your right foot from your left foot, morning from night, small from big, up from down, high from low, dry from wet, and slow from quick. Kids will read this book over and over again, because its a fun read, it rhymes, and its so easy that kids can read it themselves with out any help. I recommend The Foot Book to anyone who is just begining and wants an easy and fun book to read.

Sure to Please
A typical Dr. Suess book: Some wacky illustrations that are really fun, great rhyming and rythm, easy to read, and fun.

I enjoy reading this book with my almost three year old and my 15 month old. They enjoy the rythm of the words. The words and the text match which makes reading this book that much more enjoyable. The exaggerations are funny and makes my three year old laugh.

We read this book and then think of the things we can do with our feet- walk, hop etc. and act them out.

Enjoy.

Great first listening book....
I didn't know what to expect when I purchased this book. I should have known, having grown up with Dr. Seuss myself.
This book kept my daughter's attention on more than one occassion and as she got older she was able to read the book herself.
Just the words themselves: Left foot, left foot, right foot right.... are enough to keep any child happy.
My daughter, who is now a teenager, still puts this book at the top of her list of all time favorites. She loves to purchase this book for the little children that she baby sits, so that they can enjoy the book as much as she had.

Dr. Seuss introduces young readers to the joy of adjectives
"The Foot Book: Dr. Seuss's Wacky Book of Opposites" is a board book adapted from the original Bright and Early Book for Beginning Readers, a series of books for the youngest of the young. The idea here is that the stories are brief and funny, the words are few and easy, and there is always a catchy sense of rhyme. Of course "The Foot Book" is about not only the foot (singular) but feet (plural). There are more references to feet (plural) than to feet (singular), if you happen to pay attention to such things (which, apparently, I did). But the key part of this book are all the adjectives that Dr. Seuss comes up with for all those feet.

This happens mostly in terms of oppositional pairs such as right and left, wet and dry, high and low, front and back, etc. Of course sometimes rhyme comes into play as well, such as when we go from small feet to big feet and then to pig feet. The illustrations all feature the strange hairy creatures that populate the imagination of Dr. Seuss, although you will see a pair of rather normal looking kids in the mix as well. Did you ever stop to think that Dr. Seuss is probably the most influential poet of his generation? He is certainly the most imitated, and behind all those silly rhymes was a deep desire to get kids to read. Once your beginning reader has read "The Foot Book," be sure to have them check out the sequel, "Fox in Sox."

disapointed
I was so disapointed in this book! My son (at age 2) loved this book in the original form we had; but he was a bit rough on it & I had to tape our copy a few times! So I searched everywhere for a board book version, and was so happy when I found one. I bought it without reading it first (which I almost never do) and was so disapointed in the quality! The pictures are poorly drawn (I think some of them may even be drawn by someone other than Dr. Seuss? maybe the original drawings could not be reprinted or something) and the rhymes were changed. They are awkward and I can't see why they needed to be changed in the first place! For example, changing "Feet in the morning...Feet at night" to "Feet in the day...Feet in the night". This is poor english, and what was wrong with it the way Dr. Seuss wrote it? Twice, they changed "Feet, feet, feet...how many, many feet you meet" to "how many different feet you meet". Again, why? It just sounds better the other way. And finally, why change "slow feet..quick feet...trick feet...sick feet" to "well feet"? It doesn't even make sense- what are Well Feet? The picture is a dog juggling balls- doing a "trick"! I am surprised that the Seuss trustees, who are usually so protective of Dr. Seuss' work would OK this book. ... Read more