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$8.09 $4.74 list($8.99)
41. Oh, Say Can You Say? (I Can Read
$8.09 $2.40 list($8.99)
42. There's a Wocket in My Pocket!
$13.59 $10.48 list($19.99)
43. Green Eggs and Ham and Other Servings
$8.97 list($14.95)
44. Hunches in Bunches
$8.97 $4.99 list($14.95)
45. And To Think That I Saw It On
$8.09 $0.98 list($8.99)
46. The Foot Book (Bright and Early
$4.99 $1.50
47. The Shape of Me and Other Stuff:
$8.97 $6.95 list($14.95)
48. Scrambled Eggs Super
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49. I Am Not Going To Get Up Today!
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50. McElligot's Pool
$8.09 $1.39 list($8.99)
51. Great Day for Up! (A Bright &
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52. On Beyond Zebra!
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53. The King's Stilts
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54. I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla
$10.85 $9.00 list($15.95)
55. ¡Oh, cúan lejos llegarás!
$22.05 $17.45 list($35.00)
56. The Secret Art of Dr. Seuss
$8.97 list($14.95)
57. I Can Lick 30 Tigers Today! and
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58. The Cat's Quizzer (Beginner Books)
$9.71 $3.95 list($12.95)
59. Gerald McBoing Boing (Classically
$4.49 $2.47 list($4.99)
60. The Tooth Book (Bright & Early

41. Oh, Say Can You Say? (I Can Read It All by Myself Beginner Books (Hardcover))
by DR SEUSS
list price: $8.99
our price: $8.09
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0394842553
Catlog: Book (1979-10-12)
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Sales Rank: 10769
Average Customer Review: 4.89 out of 5 stars
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Amazon.com

Caution: for advanced storytellers only! The tongue twisters in this book will have your children laughing for hours--and that laughter just might be directed at you! Mixing genuine words with classic Seuss vocabulary, Oh Say Can You Say gets trickier with every page.You'll start off easy with this cautionary limerick:

Said a book-reading parrot named Hooey, "The words in this book are all phooey.When you join them your lips will make slips and back flips, and your tongue may end up in Saint Looey!"
Don't say he didn't warn you. For a truly inspired family gigglefest, this is the top of the charts. (Preschool to early reader) --Jill Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (9)

4-0 out of 5 stars oh say can you say is a very good book
its a rhymeing book good for all ages and fun to read. It will leave you with a smile on your face wondering how he did it again. Dr. Seuss is a great author and shows you why once again in this book....

5-0 out of 5 stars Tongue Fun for Everyone
We all know Dr. Seuss is the best,
put your tongue twister skills to the test!
Tho' this book's oft overlooked,
I am sure you'll be hooked
"Oh Say..." is a Seuss tongue-twist fest!

5-0 out of 5 stars Tongue twisters, Seuss style
"Oh Say Can You Say?" is a collection of tongue twisters from the fertile pen of the great Dr. Seuss. Each twister is accompanied by Seuss's characteristically whimsical illustrations. The collection is introduced by a frazzled-looking parrot named Hooey.

"Oh Say" contains Seussian imaginary creatures (the Schnak, the Grox, etc.) and silly characters ("a musical urchin named Gretchen von Schwinn," the acrobatic Fuddnuddler brothers, etc.). Along the way are such tongue-torturing phrases as "Skipper Zipp's Clipper Ship Chip Chop Shop." The colorful illustrations, as one might expect from Seuss, are bursting with surreal energy. Overall, a lot of fun, especially if you love rhyme and alliteration.

5-0 out of 5 stars Oh say can you say
I thought this was a really good book. I liked all the tounge twister. I could Hardly say most of them fast. I think this would be a harder book for younger children.

5-0 out of 5 stars This is wonderful!
My 2-year-old loves the sounds and rhythms of the words. These are tongue-twisters that also rhyme, in that unique, Dr. Seuss style. Imaginative, wild and wonderful verses. I love reading them, as well, and my husband enjoyed them, too. Just alot of fun. ... Read more


42. There's a Wocket in My Pocket!
by DR SEUSS
list price: $8.99
our price: $8.09
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0394829204
Catlog: Book (1974-08-12)
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Sales Rank: 20345
Average Customer Review: 4.42 out of 5 stars
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Book Description

Illus. in full color. A host of inventive creatures help beginning readers recognize many common "household" words. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

5-0 out of 5 stars The Seussian imagination unleashed!
Dr. Seuss' best books tend to have a touch of fantasy (or light-hearted science fiction) to them, and "There's a Wocket in My Pocket!" falls into that category. In this book of simple rhymes, the narrator introduces the reader to the gallery of weird creatures that share his home. There's no plot, but there are Seussian creatures galore.

Beginning with the Wocket of the cover, each creature favors a habitat that conveniently rhymes with its name. Example: "And that Zelf up on that shelf! / I have talked to him myself." The creatures include the pink-and-yellow striped Zlock, the cantankerous Yottle, the creepy Vug, the gravity-defying Geeling, and many others. As always, Seuss' colorful artwork is rich in whimsical details.

The narrator loves his home and its weird inhabitants. The book thus seems to have the message that it's OK to be different, or to come from a home that others might find odd. And that's a lesson I like! So enjoy the book, and don't be surprised if you find a "Ghair" under your chair.

5-0 out of 5 stars Wocket in My Pocket
"Did you ever have the feeling there's a WASKET in your BASKET?" Well this little boy did. This wonderful story is about a little boy and all the things he discovers in his house. There are tons of different creatures made up in the mind of Dr. Seuss. This books crazy rhyming patterns will have your child's full attention. There's just something about rhyming stories that children love.
I would recommend this story to anyone but mainly children from ages 3-9. I am almost positive they would love it. How do I know this? I know this because this has been one of my favorite books ever since I was a little tike. Any adult would love this story also. It's a fun book to read to little ones, I know because I read it to my cousins and they love it!! I would highly recommend you purchase this book or rent from the library. Although it would be smarter to buy it, because "it's a keeper!"

5-0 out of 5 stars Is there a Wokect in your pocket?
This is probably one of my favorite Dr. Seuss books because I love how he makes up new creatures. In this book a little boy takes us around his house showing us "all those Nupboards in the cupboards" and telling us "they're good fun to have about."

As is expected with Dr. Seuss books it rhymes, most of the time that is. Often the comments made about the animals don't rhyme, but this doesn't impede the flow of words. The book still flows wonderfully.

I always am pleased to see how wonderfully the drawings are done. To come up with all those creatures and yet be able to have each of them look special and different is amazing. All the illustrations are bright, bold and colorful, like one would expect to find in a Dr. Seuss book. All in all, another great Dr. Seuss book.

Loggie-log-log-log

4-0 out of 5 stars Theres a wocket in my pocket!!
The book there's a wocket in my pocket is about a young boy who belives to find things in all sorts of places in his house such as things in the shower, the cellar, the steps, the chimney. The young boy has a wide imagination and seems to like his house full of things. In this boys house there seems to be a different thing everywhere somethings he likes there others he dosnt.

5-0 out of 5 stars There's a Wocket in my Pocket
There's a Wocket in my Pocket is a great book for kids. Its a book about a boy who finds all kinds of different Wockets all over his house, in his pocket, in his trash baket, in his bureau, in his closet, in his curtains, behind his clock, up on a shelf, in the sink, in the lamp, in the pots and pans, in a bottle, in and in his chair, they are everywhere. This book is a great book if you like to rhyme words, some a tongue twisting, and some are funny. In the end the boy talked about how he likes where he lives because of all the Wockets there. The reason I liked this book is because it was tongue twisting and it rhymed. ... Read more


43. Green Eggs and Ham and Other Servings of Dr. Seuss
by DR SEUSS
list price: $19.99
our price: $13.59
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0807219924
Catlog: Book (2003-10-14)
Publisher: Imagination Studio
Sales Rank: 28356
Average Customer Review: 5 out of 5 stars
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Book Description

9 complete stories at a great price!

Featuring:

Green Eggs and Ham read by Jason Alexander
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish read by David Hyde Pierce
Oh, the Thinks You Can Think! read by Michael McKean
I'm Not Going to Get Up Today read by Jason Alexander
Oh Say Can You Say? read by Michael McKean
Fox in Socks read by David Hype Pierce
I Can Read with My Eyes Shut read by Michael McKean
Hop on Pop read by David Hype Pierce
Dr. Seuss's ABC read by Jason Alexander
... Read more

Reviews (2)

5-0 out of 5 stars A Must for Parents and Seuss Collectors!
This is a terrific audio CD of our Dr. Seuss favorites. My sons love to read along in the car and at home. The celebrity readings are great to listen to. Even my husband and I listen in the car, long after the kids have dozed off. Don't miss out on this collection. Well worth it!

5-0 out of 5 stars Seuss without the Tang-Tonguelers
If you've wearied of Green Eggs and Ham and Sam-I-Am, and would rather not Hop on Pop, you'll be grateful for this CD set with lively readings of the kid-favorites by familiar voices like Jason Alexander, David Hyde Pierce, and Michael McKean. For young readers, pair them up with the books to follow along and VOILA! Instant Readers! this year is Dr. Seuss's 100th birthday! ... Read more


44. Hunches in Bunches
by Dr. Seuss
list price: $14.95
our price: $8.97
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0394855027
Catlog: Book (1982-10-12)
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Sales Rank: 29414
Average Customer Review: 4.25 out of 5 stars
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Amazon.com

"It's awfully awfully awful / when you can't make up your mind!"For one poor boy, this indecision takes the form of dozens of Seussian Hunches--a Sour Hunch, a Very Odd Hunch, the Homework Hunch, a Four-Way Hunch, the Nowhere Hunch--all with elaborate finger-pointing hats and strong opinions of their own. Pretty soon the boy's head is "frightfully ga-fluppted" and "murky-mooshy:"

By now my mind was so mixed up
I really didn't know
if I wanted to go to the barber shop
or to Boise, Idaho.

After much arguing and "barg-uing" and shoving and yelling, a decision is made and our hero follows a Munch Hunch to lunch. The nonsense and cleverly crafted message in Hunches in Bunches is right up to par with Dr. Seuss's many other classic picture books. It's easy to become overwhelmed by advice when you have a mind--but can't make it up.Sometimes the best plan is to trust your own hunches, and disregard the vocal bunch of Hunches clamoring for attention. This makes a great gift for well-meaning flakes and ditherers of all ages. (Ages 4 and older) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (4)

5-0 out of 5 stars If you have ADD, this is a fun way to look at it!
This is definitely one of my favorites! It is a book that is different than most and is very enjoyable. Allows kids (and multi-tasking parents) to see the importance of staying on task.

2-0 out of 5 stars one of my least favorite suess books
I ADORE Dr. Seuss. In fact, I'm pretty sure that his work is the source of a sizeable chunk of my love for language in general, and for poetry. In fact, I think my love for Shakespeare started as a child, with Dr. Suess. This stuff was really profound for me.

But I have to say, if Geisel really did write this one, he was NOT in top form. The music of his language is missing - some of the verses are downright clunky, and the usual depth is lost in horrific lines like "... together we'll trot to some real cool spot and play a few video games."

Maybe he was trying to be contemporary. And some of the illustrations here really ARE wonderful, but I have to say, this Seuss lover (who now spends as much as an hour and a half a day reading the stuff to his own daughter, who love it) finds this one way off the mark.

5-0 out of 5 stars Taking Charge of Internal Debates
Children usually do not realize that the internal dialogue in the mind is a source of confusion and distraction for almost everyone. The great strength of this book is to make that psychological reality tangible and to address ways to deal with it. You also give the parent a chance to share her or his perspective on internal voices. The book's key point is that you should consider all the perspectives that occur to you, compare them, and choose a good one to pursue.

"Do you ever sit and fidget

when you don't know what to do . . . ?"

"My trouble was I had a mind.

But I couldn't make it up."

"Oh, you get so many hunches . . . ."

In the story, the hunches include one to do homework, another to go play video games, yet another to fix the rusting bicycle, while another suggests a bathroom break. As the hunches build, the decision gets harder. Thinking about it just adds more hunches.

The key point is:

"Make your mind up! . . .

Only you can make your mind up!"

The suggested method is to split yourself into several people and to decide what to do by letting each one represent a hunch. To me, that's a variation on the Benjamin Franklin method of putting each choice down on a piece of paper with a list of the pros and cons for each. Then compare the lists.

If everyone learned that method at a young age, it would be wonderful! A lot of adults still need to learn this lesson, so don't limit your gift giving of this book to youngsters!

After you finish this book, I suggest that you encourage your child to verbalize his or her urges. Then talk to her or him about how he or she is sorting it all out.

Take the best choice, rather than the most impulsive one!

5-0 out of 5 stars Hunches in Bunches
This book is great for children. It was my little sister'sfavorite for years. ... Read more


45. And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street
list price: $14.95
our price: $8.97
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0394844947
Catlog: Book (1989-08-19)
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Sales Rank: 7456
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars
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Amazon.com

Marco is in a pickle. His father has instructed him to keep his eyes peeled for interesting sights on the way to and from school, but all Marco has seen is a boring old horse and wagon. Imagine if he had something more to report, say, a zebra pulling the wagon. Or better yet, the zebra could be pulling a blue and gold chariot. No, wait! Maybe it should be a reindeer in that harness. Marco's story grows ever more elaborate as he reasons that a reindeer would be happier pulling a sled, then that a really unusual sight would be an elephant with a ruby-bedecked rajah enthroned on top. "Say! That makes a story that no one can beat, / When I say that I saw it on Mulberry Street."Time and again, Marco tops himself until he is positively wound up with excitement and bursts into his home to tell his dad what he saw on Mulberry Street.

Pulitzer-prize winning Dr. Seuss needs no introduction. His ode to the imagination of a child is as fresh and exquisitely outlandish today as it was when first published in 1937. This is a classic that will never fade with age. (Ages 3 to 8) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (12)

4-0 out of 5 stars An uneven jaunt along Mulberry Street
First published in 1937, "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street" is, I believe, the earliest of Dr. Seuss' many children's books. While it is an entertaining book with humorous illustrations, on the whole I find "Mulberry Street" to be oddly unsatisfying.

The story concerns young Marco, who has been asked by his father to tell him what he sees on the walk home from school. Seeing nothing but a horse and wagon, Marco lets his imagination run wild, until the horse and wagon are transformed into an elephant and brass band, accompanied by numerous other people and animals.

Without giving away the ending, I will say that the book seems to deliver a curiously conflicted message regarding storytelling and imagination. Although "Mulberry Street" is not at the level of Seuss' greatest classics, it is still an important landmark in children's literature, and would make a good addition to any family or school library.

5-0 out of 5 stars Leslie and Lisa's Review
My favorite book out of the ten I read is And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street by Dr. Seuss. I liked this book because after you read it your imagination is running wild. It is a book about a young boy's imagination when you can't stop it from running like an Energizer battery. After the story was over I couldn't stop thinking about more things to add to the young boy's story to make it even better. It is a great book for this project because you are really tapping into your childhood and your young imagination. I think everyone should read this book to see the magic of being a child. If you like Dr. Seuss books this is one you will really enjoy. It is fast pace and it rhymes to help the story be more fun.
My stepmom thought that this book was very creative because it was full of imagination. This book made her laugh because all of Marco's ideas were very silly and fun. She thought that it read at a very fast pace. She also loved the pictures and drawings because they kept changing as the boy's thoughts kept elaborating. The words rhymed from line to line keeping her interest throughout the book. Lastly, she shared that Dr. Seuss is one of her favorite authors of all time.

5-0 out of 5 stars Mulberry Street
The main character in this book is named Marco, and he has a slight problem with an over-active imagination. Every morning when Marco leaves home to walk to school, 'Dad always says to me, "Marco, keep your eyelids up and see what you can see."' We meet Marco when he is on the way back from school and all he's noticed 'was a horse and a wagon on Mulberry Street.' Marco isn't too proud of this observation, "That can't be my story. That's only a start. I'll say that a ZEBRA was pulling that cart!"

Slowly and surely the story changes, now the zebra is pulling a chariot, now it's a reindeer, next it's pulling a sled and before you know it, he's got two giraffes and an elephant pulling a big brass band with a trailer attached on behind going through town escorted by the police. Marco gets so excited about this 'story that no one could beat! And to think that I saw it on Mulberry Street!' But when Dad asks him what he sees he replies '"Nothing" I said, growing red as a beat, "but a plain horse and wagon on Mulberry street."'

The story is told in rhyme, as you might be able to see from some of the quotes I used. The story flows wonderfully, just like all of Dr. Seuss' works. The pictures are wonderful as well. The way all the animals are smiling and seem pleased that they get to pull these things is just really cute. The colors used are really nice, and the pictures are really bold and bright.

Personally, this is one of my favorite Dr. Seuss books because I really like Marco's imagination and how he is always telling 'such outlandish tales... turning minnows into whales'.

Loggie-log-log-log

4-0 out of 5 stars what was that
I think that the book was a good one b/c the writer has a good amagination with the reindeer and all the other edzotic animals. all in all it was a good book

5-0 out of 5 stars This is a cute book.
This is a very cute story for young readers about a boy who makes up something imaginative and then tells his father the truth, after all that work. ... Read more


46. The Foot Book (Bright and Early Books for Beginning Beginners)
by Dr. Seuss
list price: $8.99
our price: $8.09
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0394809378
Catlog: Book (1968-10-12)
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Sales Rank: 13773
Average Customer Review: 4.53 out of 5 stars
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Book Description

Illus. in color. Dr. Seuss's characters explore the zany world of feet. ... Read more

Reviews (40)

5-0 out of 5 stars A must for every young child's library!
The Foot Book is terrific, but be sure that you buy the 32 page white-covered version, not one of the inferior board books.

My children have loved this book since 6 months. The story is very simple - it shows all different kinds of feet, from wet feet and dry feet to fuzzy fur feet. There aren't many words on each page, so there is lots of page turning to keep the youngest kids interest. Dr. Seuss used a sing-song rhyme, which reads quickly and is very soothing. We read it over and over again.

The artwork is classic Suess, with a focus on feet!

I credit The Foot Book with fostering my children's love of books. At just 12 months my daughter will bring the book to me and climb into my lap for a reading. (Fair warning - you will know this book by heart!)

My older child was bored with this book by about age 2, because it is so simple, but is now enjoying it again as I read it to her sister, and I think it will be a popular choice when she starts learning to read.

My recommendation is to get this book early and enjoy it often!

4-0 out of 5 stars Dr. Seuss introduces young readers to the joy of adjectives
"The Foot Book" by Dr. Seuss is a 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."

5-0 out of 5 stars A must have for all!
This is one of the first books my son fell in love with. He would laugh as I used different voices to go with the words and pictures. This book is also great to help with opposites. This is definately a library must have for all.

4-0 out of 5 stars it was a funny book
this book is funny, just because it talks about feet.i read it twice. i recommend it, it was good.

3-0 out of 5 stars Don't buy this version, get the original!
The original hardcover The Foot Book is absolutely awesome, but I had a lot of trouble finding it to buy on Amazon (it has a white cover, not green). For some reason the only versions that came up in my search were the board books. My daughterss have loved this book since they were 6 months old (one is now 12 months and the other is 3 1/2), and my copy is very tired.

Be aware that this version only has 12 pages and has stickers and flaps, which get torn and make a mess. If you're looking for the original version, click on "hardcover edition" on this page and you're all set.

I can't see any reason to purchase the shortened, board book version of this classic unless you're concerned with torn pages. There aren't many words on each page, and the rhymey, sing-song story is short enough to hold your child's attention for the entire book. We read this book together for storytime, and put the sturdier books into the crib for play.

The Foot Book belongs in every small child's library, but go with the real deal, not this dumbed-down version. ... Read more


47. The Shape of Me and Other Stuff: Dr. Seuss's Surprising Word Book
by Dr. Seuss
list price: $4.99
our price: $4.99
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0679886311
Catlog: Book (1997-07-08)
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Sales Rank: 4108
Average Customer Review: 3.88 out of 5 stars
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Amazon.com

Subtitled "Dr. Seuss's Surprising Word Book," The Shape of Me and Other Stuff certainly lives up to its billing. In this delightful book, first published in 1973, kids are encouraged to ponder shapes they may never have considered before: "Just think about the shape of beans and flowers and mice and big machines!" Dr. Seuss's illustrations are in silhouette (for the purpose of accenting the outlines of figures), but are nonetheless up to par with his usual wacky, amusing style. Soaring well beyond the mundane arena of circles, triangles, and squares, here we are challenged to consider "the shape of camels … the shape of bees and the wonderful shapes of back door keys!" Kids will love the silly rhymes and funny pictures, and parents will appreciate this original take on the largely untapped world of shapes. (Baby to preschool) ... Read more

Reviews (8)

5-0 out of 5 stars The Shape of Me
My daughter got this book for her first birthday, and it quickly became one of her favorites. She loved the rhymes based on familiar objects, and enjoyed pointing out the corresponding pictures. I think she liked the fact that the vocabulary was based on words she actually knew and could even repeat, and objects that were part of her everyday life.

3-0 out of 5 stars the shape of you and other things
The book the shape of me and other stuff is about the shape of you and things around you. It teaches you that there is nothing the same shape. The age level for this book would be threeto five. This book was good but it would be better for three to five year olds.

4-0 out of 5 stars The Shape of Me and Other Stuff
The book " The Shape of Me and Other Stuff" is a fun book to read. I think probably anybody could read it and like it. It has good rymes and has a good flow. It has nice big illustrations, not alot of color but they are still good for young readers to see. It talks about what everthing looks like and i think it was written to show kids that not everything is the same. The main point in the story is to not want to be someone or something and to be happy with who you are.

5-0 out of 5 stars Practice in Noticing Small Differences in Outline Shapes
One of the most difficult problems that many beginning readers have is to notice those pesky little differences between letters (like b and d, and q and p). Many children don't focus that much and get a general impression of a shape when looking at a letter or a group of letters. This interesting beginning reader helps you child to "see" the benefits of studying detail more closely.

The book is primarily a series of solid shapes (mostly black on white) set off with bright colors used in some shapes, as backgrounds for others, and as rectangles around words. Each one is a different item. Some of the many items silhouetted include a bug, balloon, bed, bike, beans, flowers, mice, big mahines, elephants, ships, teapots, water dripping, bird cages, peanuts, pineapple, noses, grapes, glasses, scissors, the various shapes that gum can be pulled into, smoke, marshmallows, fires, mountains, roosters, horses, tires, camels, bees, back door keys, spider webs, clothes, garden hose, mug, imaginary beings (like a BLOGG), trombone, fish, whale and a frog. This is not all, but it is more than half.

As you can imagine, a young child will be able to identify very few while an older child will get almost all of them. Not all of the profiles have words associated with them in the text.

As a result, this book should be read in different ways at different stages of development. For example, two year olds will identify more objects if they get a hint from you. Also, if you child likes sounds, you could make a sound like the object for your clue.

For an older child, you can also work together to spell the names of the shapes that are not in the text. For someone about to graduate from the book, you could try creating some rhymes with the shapes that are not mentioned.

The book itself is simple to read, and has a typical Dr. Seuss rhyming scheme.

The key lessons are summarized as:

"Everything comes in different shapes."

"No shapes are ever quite alike."

There is also nice encouragement for your child to feel special, for having a unique shape. That's a nice tie-in to the concept of encouraging your child to notice the small differences that help in reading. This point is brought home in the end when the child narrator says, "I say, 'HOORAY for the shapes we're in!'"

This book will be of most value for a child who is starting to have some success in identifying letters, so although this is a beginning reader . . . it's not the first reader you should use.

After you have enjoyed this book, you might also do some art projects in which your child picks out items that she or he wants you to cut out. You could paste them onto a card along with the item's name, and create your own flash cards for words you child wants to learn!

Notice the small things, so you can see the big picture!

4-0 out of 5 stars An interesting experiment from Dr. Seuss
In "The Shape of Me and Other Stuff," Dr. Seuss experiments with an artistic approach that is very different from that of his best-known work. This book teaches about shapes, and the illustrations consist entirely of silhouettes of various items: people, elephants, boats, keys, etc.

The shadow-like illustrations are accompanied by rhymes in the familiar Seussian style: "Peanuts and pineapples / noses and grapes. / Everything comes in different shapes." While the book is educational and entertaining, I felt that the silhouettes-only art lacked some of the wacky charm of the full Seussian illustration technique. Nevertheless, I recommend "The Shape of Me and Other Stuff" as a fun addition to the family or classroom library. ... Read more


48. Scrambled Eggs Super
by DR SEUSS, Theodore Seuss Geisel, Dr. Seuss
list price: $14.95
our price: $8.97
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0394800850
Catlog: Book (1953-03)
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Sales Rank: 29129
Average Customer Review: 4.43 out of 5 stars
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Book Description

Illus. in color. "Riotous humor in picture and verse as an enterprising Seuss creature hunts uncommon eggs for a super deluxe dish."--Child Study Assn. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

5-0 out of 5 stars TERRIFIC LIGHT VERSE!
This is a WONDERFUL book that deserves to be as widely read as Seuss' best-known books. The verbose, sprawling, exhuberant light verse is fantastic all by itself, and the illustrations are as strange and wonderful as any of Seuss'. One of the illustrations made me laugh out loud.

Certain myopic adults with no imagination will give themselves ulcers over the fact that this book describes (a) eating the eggs of fanciful birds, (b) cutting down a tree, and (c) knocking down a mountain. But children, and adults who are young at heart, will understand that it's all pretend.

If you enjoy light verse and Seuss' illustrations, Scrambled Eggs Super is not to be missed.

5-0 out of 5 stars Still Super!
Even after 50 years, this is still one of Theodore Geisel's (aka Dr. Seuss) best books. I revisited it after the words "scrambled eggs super dee duper dee peter t hooper" just popped into my head at lunch one day. And as for the environmental whacko who wrote the one star review .... it's fiction and your kids WILL know the difference even if you don't!!!!! If you think Dr. Seuss was anything other than environmentally conscious then take a gander at the Lorax. It's a great book as well.

1-0 out of 5 stars scrambled eggs definitely NOT super
The message in this book is very outdated and a nightmare to anyone interested in preserving the environment. I love Dr. Seuss and ordered many of the books for my son. This one however I have to send back. The little boy, not content with hens' eggs, travels far and wide to snatch the eggs of countless rare and exotic birds. He prys off a mountain top to get at one bird, and cuts down an enormous tree (old-growth dimensions) to get at another. And he collects literally thousands of eggs, just to cook up for himself and perhaps his family. This story may have been funny when it was written almost 50 years ago, but today it describes little more than environmental destruction and selfish waste. This is definitely not the message I want to give my son, and I am sending back this book.

5-0 out of 5 stars Look Beyond the Ordinary to Capture Full Potential!
Peter T. Hooper (of The Cat in the Hat fame) addresses Liz. " . . . [S]peaking of cooks, I'm the best that there is!" He perceives opportunity. "[I]t's sort of a shame that scrambled eggs always taste always the same."

His recipe is more challenging than the Joy of Cooking's version. Hen eggs just won't cut it. You need hundreds of eggs from different kinds of birds (all that you've never heard of), 99 pans, 55 cans of beans, 2/3 cup of sugar, a small pinch of pepper, a pound of horseradish, some nuts, some ginger, nine prunes, three figs, 22 sprigs of parsley, 6 cinnamon sticks, and one clove.

And it's not just any different kinds of eggs. You need eggs from the Ruffle-Necked Sala-ma-goox, Kweet, Tizzle-Topped Grouse, Kwigger, South-West-Facing Crane, Grickily Gructus, Zumm, Bombastic Aghast, and many others. In fact, you have to go to so many places that you need a lot of helpers.

When you're done, you've got Scrambled Eggs Super-dee-Dooper-dee-Booper Special de luxe a-la-Peter T. Hooper. And that's what they taste like, too!

Reading this book reminded me of all the ways that children like to brag. I remember going to a camp picnic, and seeing that the can of pork and beans I had brought looked better with the top opened than the others. I began waxing eloquently about how carefully I had chosen my can of beans. Then, another boy noted that the only reason my beans looked better was because he had stirred them up with a spoon to bring the beans to the top of the can! I became much more humble about my grocery shopping skills after that experience. Peter T. Hooper hasn't been brought to ground yet.

A fun thing to use this book for is to think with your youngster about how favorite dishes could be made even better. Then, you can go on to consider how to add variety to other things that you do. This imagining will expand your child's intellect, and help both of you to lead more purposeful, interesting lives!

Be super!

5-0 out of 5 stars A book that will take you to many thrilling places!
I remember this book as one of my favorites. As a child I would read it over and over. Now that I have two sons, I have gone to the library several times to borrow it. I recently asked the school library to acquire it and was amazed when they received word that it was out of print. Browsing through a book store this Christmas I stumbled upon a copy of it and snatched it up quickly! Now, I can read this wonderful story to my children anytime they want, and can take it to their classrooms and read it to their friends! I'm delighted to be an owner of this book. ... Read more


49. I Am Not Going To Get Up Today! (Beginner Books)
by DR SEUSS
list price: $8.99
our price: $8.09
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0394892178
Catlog: Book (1987-10-12)
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Sales Rank: 15655
Average Customer Review: 4.22 out of 5 stars
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Amazon.com

Although I'm Not Going to Get Up Today! is aimed at young readers, it just gets better as you get older. Only after you've weathered more than few world-weary years can you fully appreciate this book's profound and universal message: "The alarm can ring. The birds can peep. My bed is warm. My pillow's deep. Today's the day I'm going to sleep!" But the rhyming words of Dr. Seuss and goofy illustrations from James Stevenson will surely get more than a few giggles from the old and the young, as everyone in town--from brothers and sisters to the police and the Marines--conspires to get our little hero out of bed.But, as the sleepy boy says, "nobody's going to get me up, no matter what he does." (Not with tickling nor shaking nor cold water on the head.) "Nothing's going to get me up. Why can't you understand! You'll only waste your money if you hire a big brass band." (Ages 4 to 8) --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Reviews (9)

4-0 out of 5 stars A Lesson Sometimes Missed
As a middle school social studies teacher, I was given the challenge to teach a lesson using a picture book. During my search for the perfect history related picture book, I came across this book instead. The lesson I found in it was one perfect for the first day of class. While the synopsis tells the story of a boy who does not want to get up, I feel it is the last two pages that are most important. In these pages, since the boy will not get out of bed, the mother gives his breakfast to someone else. The lesson I pass on to my students is that I will do everything in my power to help them learn. I will bring in marching bands if that will help, but I can not force them. They must get up and reach for what they want (ie do homework and study) or someone else will get the reward (an A). Please buy this book for your children (young and old) with the lesson that they have the option of being lazy, but they just might miss out on something they want or need.

1-0 out of 5 stars Dr. Seuss hits rock bottom
My wife and I finally stored this book away, because there is nothing redeeming about the message, and it's not particularly creative in any respect either. The book dwells on a boy's obstinance/refusal to get out of bed for an entire day...what a wonderful thought to put in the head of our children. The kid refuses entreaties from his mother and even the police to get out of bed and go to school, and in the end, they just let the kid stay in bed and sleep. So...the message for my 2 year old is: defy your parents long enough, engage in anti-social behavior, and they will give in and let you have your way. I still have to wonder whether Dr. Seuss actually wrote this one. It's just horrid, and the rhymes are like a 6th grader's first attempt at poetry. Blech!

4-0 out of 5 stars I am not going to get up today
I am not going to get up today is an exciting, silly story. It is about a boy who doesn't want to get up for school, and he swears that nothing in your wildest imagination will get him up. Seuss, the author, has some crazy ideas as to what would normally wake people up, but in this case, nothing will make this imaginative child get out of bed.

5-0 out of 5 stars This is a MUST HAVE
There's got to be a starting point to reading with your child and this should be the place. All my kids loved this book, it has humor they instantly identify with and are always entertained by. They never get bored with this one.

5-0 out of 5 stars Book Review
This book uses very good discriptions, it also rymes and the illistrations go along with the the words good. It makes you keep reading and reading because the words are discriptive. I would suggest this book to all kids. ... Read more


50. McElligot's Pool
by DR SEUSS
list price: $14.95
our price: $8.97
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0394800834
Catlog: Book (1947-09-12)
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Sales Rank: 5475
Average Customer Review: 4.73 out of 5 stars
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Amazon.com

McElligot's Pool is a Seuss classic from the distant era before even The Cat In The Hat. It's a single poetic variation on the theme of adult skepticism that's no match for childhood faith and daydreaming. A small boy is fishing in the tiny, unpromising McElligot's Pool, a puddle that (as a passing farmer informs our diminutive hero) is nothing but a hole where people dispose of their junk. But the boy is all optimism: what if the pool is deeper than anyone thinks? What if it connects to an underground stream that flows under the town to the sea? Might not all sorts of fish then swim up the stream and be caught here? "I might catch an eel... (Well, I might. It depends.) A long twisting eel with a lot of strange bends. And, oddly enough, with a head at both ends!" The moral of the story is straightforward: "If I wait long enough, if I'm patient and cool,/ Who knows what I'll catch in McElligot's pool?"(Ages 4 to 8) --Richard Farr ... Read more

Reviews (11)

3-0 out of 5 stars McElligot's Pool
As Dr. Seuss books go, this one has a story with both it's feet still firmly rooted on the ground. It is about a young boy who is fishing in a small pool. When an old man tells him that he won't catch anything if he waits 50 years, he imagines that the pool might be joined to an underground river, connected to the sea, where all sorts of wonderful fish live. There is no escaping however that this book is by Dr Seuss. The fish he dreams up are as whimsical as ever anybody has imagined. It is typical Seuss, is he really a Dr. by the way, to imagine a fish that is partly a cow, or an Australian fish with a pouch on it's belly. The pictures, pencil and water colour, are in the same inimitable style as he always uses, however the colours didn't seem to be as vibrant as usual. This may be partly because copy I saw was in poor condition, but some of the pictures were in black and white, which wasn't. The language has the distinctive pattern and rhythm of the Cat in the Hat, or Green Eggs and Ham. The rhymes are not as well crafted as in some of his other work, he sometimes seems to be putting lines in just to make a rhyme. I might see a sea horse (Now mightn't I now) I might see a fish That is partly a cow. This said most of the rhyming is good, and the story is very funny. He uses quite a lot of pronouns and descriptive language as he is creating his fantastical fish. Knowing the story behind Dr. Seuss's first book leads me to think that this may be deliberate. The story seems to peak to a crescendo, although the pictures do not reflect this. The book is about the child's imagination. He is not confined to thinking in the same down to earth terms as the old man. It about hope and optimism. The little boy will keep on trying to fish in Mc Elligot's Pool, because however unlikely, he might just catch the most amazing fish you will ever see. If someone was to make it into a cartoon it would make quite a good lottery advert.

5-0 out of 5 stars Look at all the fish you can catch!
The earlier reviewer is right; who cannot like a book by Dr. Seuss? This classic children's story is about a boy fishing in a small pool and imagining all types of fish that he might catch, most of them quite fanciful. I still remember laughing when I first read it as a child. The book was a 1948 Caldecott Honor book (i.e., a runner-up to the Medal winner) for best illustration in a children's book.

5-0 out of 5 stars The Best Seuss Ever!
I read this energetic, imaginative story to my children, and now I get to read it to my grandchildren - that means all the big and little fish will become alive again! The pictures are big - big with personality - and if anyone thought fish were boring, well, think again. My daughter learned to read on this book, and it was the one book she would "read" to me (by memory) - all I did was turn the pages. This is a hard-to-find Seuss book, and well worth the search.

5-0 out of 5 stars A must-have - McElligott's Pool!
This book is the first book Seuss has written- the cat in the hat came later. This book is often overlooked because people haven't heard of it. I think this is the best Seuss book ever. If you like this book I also reccomend you to buy "In Search of Dr. Seuss." It shows a reporter (Kathy Najimy) trying to find out more about Dr. Seuss. It shows McElligot's Pool as the first Seuss. The other must-have Dr. Seuss book is The Lorax. I LOVE LOVE that book!

5-0 out of 5 stars Ecellent!!!
This was the best Dr. Seuss book of them all! I read this book when I was a little kid and I still read it now! This is the best book you could buy! ... Read more


51. Great Day for Up! (A Bright & Early Book, 19)
by DR SEUSS
list price: $8.99
our price: $8.09
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0394829131
Catlog: Book (1974-08-12)
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Sales Rank: 110094
Average Customer Review: 4.12 out of 5 stars
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Book Description

Illus. in full color. The meanings of "up" are conveyed with merry verse and illustrations in a happy book that celebrates the joy of life. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

4-0 out of 5 stars Dr. Seuss let's somebody else draw his book on "Up"
"Great Day for Up" is a unique Dr. Seuss book and you can tell this just by looking at the cover. That is because while the book is written by Dr. Seuss it features the jolly drawings of the English artist Quentin Blake. Until this point every time I have read a book written by Dr. Seuss it was also illustrated by Dr. Seuss and when somebody else did the drawings Dr. Seuss used the name Theo. LeSieg (which is "Geisel" backwards). So the fact that this is a real "Dr. Seuss" book drawn by somebody else is pretty special.

This Bright and Early Book provides rhymed text and illustrations introducing the many meanings of the word "up" as Seuss and Blake show beginning readers that this is a "Great day for up!" You get the point half way through the book but little kids should be able to hand on longer, especially when they are reading the book for themselves. Besides, by the end of "Great Day for Up" we get to the point where "EVERYONE on Earth is up!" (with one very important and rather ironic exception).

As with all of the Bright and Early Books for Beginning Beginners what you have here is a brief and funny story, where the words are few and easy, there is a catchy rhythm, and the pictures are happy and colorful clues to the text. These are designed for an even lower age group than the Bright and Early Books that followed "The Cat in the Hat," which was the "Harry Potter" of its day when it came to encouraging even pre-schoolers to discover the delights of reading for themselves. This is not one of the most interesting volumes in the series, but overall these books were a delight.

4-0 out of 5 stars Great book for beginning readers.
Ya, ya, ya so this book teaches about the meanings of the word "up". But, to me that takes a backseat to the fun rhythm and rhymes that make a child WANT to be able to read the book by themselves. The small vocabulary, phonetically spelled words and visual clues are wonderful for early readers. My step-son enjoys reading this book together at bedtime and can actually read it to US now. I love the "bright and early" books from Dr. Seuss for building early reading skills.

4-0 out of 5 stars Great day for up
The book was about everyone waking up, getting outside, and having fun. All the characters interacted together, the played outside, and everyone made new friends. I enjoyed reading this book, just he way Dr. Seuss wrote it makes you want to keep reading it. It kept me entertained even though I'm not a little kid. Children between the ages of 4-8 will love this book. It teaches kids to wake up, get out and play, and just have fun; instead of just wasting their time inside doing nothing and watching T.V. If the kids couldn't read then this would be a good book to help them out with because there's not a lot of writing and the words are easy. I loved the ending of the book but you'll have to read it to find out!!

3-0 out of 5 stars good day
I think this book was a good book. I would recamend it to everyone. it was a fun book. it was a favorite of mine.

3-0 out of 5 stars A below-average Dr. Seuss Book
Dr. Seuss has some really brilliant books. This book is just a so-so Dr. Seuss. As a parent who is familiar with about 15 Dr. Seuss books, this is one of my least favorite books.

The book attempts to teach the child what "Up" means. There is a terrific amount of repetition, and the cleverness in the rhyming and pictures is not "Up!" to par with other Dr. Seuss books.

My 6-month old children are too young to understand this book, but I think that Mommy and Daddy will tire of the book long before they have gotten the very simple and trivial message in this book : what is the difference between Up and Down ... ... Read more


52. On Beyond Zebra!
by Dr. Seuss, Theodor Seuss Geisel
list price: $14.95
our price: $8.97
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0394800842
Catlog: Book (1955-09-12)
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Sales Rank: 21528
Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars
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Amazon.com

A thoroughly Seussian tweak of the alphabet-book tradition, On Beyond Zebra is about all the letters that most people ignore--the ones that come after Z.Our hero (instantly recognizable to most Seuss fans as the boy who captured Thing One and Thing Two in The Cat in the Hat) takes his young friend, Conrad Cornelius O'Donald O'Dell, on a guided tour of all the weird creatures that begin with letters such as Yuzz, Wumbus, and Glikk. "And Nuh is the letter I use to spell Nutches, Who live in small caves, known as Nitches, for hutches." The message is pretty simple: the alphabet pins down boring old "reality," but if you explore further afield there are more interesting worlds to discover. "So, on beyond Z! It's high time you were shown, / That you really don't know all there is to be known."Explorers in need of guidance will even find a table of useful new letters (a beyondabet? a WumbaGlikk?) in the back. (Ages 4 to 8) --Richard Farr ... Read more

Reviews (10)

5-0 out of 5 stars Unforgettable
I read this book as a child about 45 years ago. I loved it and never forgot it, although its title transformed in my child's brain to "way beyond Z". It inspired me, fed my imagination and made me feel like a child with special sight. Unlike adults, I KNEW the alphabet beyond Z!! Now that I have located this title again, I will give it to every child I know! Thank you, Dr. Seuss!

5-0 out of 5 stars Thinking outside the box
This was one of my favorite books as a child. I'm so happy to be able to share it with my nieces. I think all Dr. Seuss' books encourage imagination and creativity, but none more than this.

5-0 out of 5 stars Mom read it to me, will read it to my nephew
I was in college before I was informed that Dr. Seuss books had "messages". I then thought about it, and decided that my professor was partially right and that this is one of the books with a "message". It teaches you not to stop at the obvious but to see if there is more to life.

Gloriously, the book is so good that you don't notice until you are in college and someone tells you. Which is A Good Thing. I hate books with "messages".

I'm 41, and I bought this book for my just-aquirred 5 year old nephew. Only I re-read it before giving it to him.

5-0 out of 5 stars Dr. Seuss was a prophet of unfettered imagination
If I were to start my own religion, this would probably be the most sacred text. Dr. Seuss possessed powers of pure imagination unequaled in all of children's literature, and this book is the most inspiring, mind-expanding example of his divine gift. Even more important than Cat in the Hat or The Lorax, every baby born into this world should be given a copy of On Beyond Zebra. Buy it and give it to a child you love today!

3-0 out of 5 stars Seuss's Structure Slips!
Doctor Seuss has taught us all to enjoy flawless humor, good fantasy, and fantastic illustrations. So it was a great surprise to me when this book didn't carry off its premise smoothly.

The book is a satire on those alphabet books that all children trudge through to learn their ABCs. A is for apple, and so forth, is the predictable format. Here, Dr. Seuss adjusts the format to be about animals. "A is for Ape. And B is for Bear."

The story opens with Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell announcing, "I know all the twenty-six letters like that . . . ."

Our narrator disagrees. "But not me." "In the places I go there are things that I see that I never could spell if I stopped with the Z." "My alphabet starts where your alphabet ends."

Now, here's the problem. Although the book has many interesting and new letters and creatures, each letter is actually just a combination of the first twenty-six. For example, YUZZ is the first new letter, and is illustrated by the tall and hairy Yuzz-a-ma-Tuzz. Although a sort of symbol is established to represent the letter, Dr. Seuss doesn't use the symbol in the rhyme. He always refers to the letter as YUZZ.

Dr. Seuss could have used his new letter symbol wherever it fit into the rhyme, or he could have made up letters that were not combinations of the first twenty-six letters. Either approach would have worked.

I suspect that the structure in the book can either consciously or subconsciously confuse a new reader about what a letter is, what a syllable is, and what a word is. It's all quite unnecessary.

If Dr. Seuss had used his new symbols to form new words, that would have been a nice basis for helping English readers learn how to move back and forth between English and languages with different methods of representation, like Russian, Chinese, Japanese, and Hebrew. So, the book's a bit of a missed opportunity in this direction, too.

My suggestion is that if you want to have fun with the story anyway (because the creatures are pretty swell), simply point out that Dr. Seuss made a little goof and clarify the point about what a letter is in whatever way makes the most sense to you for where your child is in reading readiness.

The animals and their names are terrific, and you will enjoy them and their illustrations. Here's a partial list: Wumbus ("my high-spouting whale who lives on a hill"), Umbus ("a sort of a cow" with 98 or 99 "faucets" for giving milk), Humpf-Humpf-a-Dumpfer, Miss Fuddle-dee-Duddle (a bird with the longest tail), Glikker (blue and small, eats seeds, and juggles cinammon seeds), Nutch (lives in small caves that are in short supply), Sneedle (a mos-keedle with a sharp hum-dinger stinger on its head), Quandery (a red creature on shells in the ocean that worries a lot), Thnadner (the big one has a small shadow and the small one a big shadow), Spazzin (a camel-like creature with amazing horns for carrying baggage), Floob-Boober-Bab-Boober-Bah (fish you can use like stepping stones to get across the top of water as they bob on the surface), and Zatz-It (like a tall giraffe).

The story concludes with young o'Dell getting the spirit of the narrator.

"This is really great stuff!

And I guess the old alphabet

ISN'T enough!"

o'Dell draws a new letter:

" . . . what do you think that

we should call this one, anyhow?"

Enjoy imagination, and honor it . . . wherever it may be found! ... Read more


53. The King's Stilts
by DR SEUSS
list price: $14.95
our price: $8.97
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0394800826
Catlog: Book (1939-10-12)
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Sales Rank: 13969
Average Customer Review: 5 out of 5 stars
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Book Description

Illus. in full color. Every afternoon King Birtram raced around the palace on a pair of old red stilts, until they were stolen. An uproarious tale. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

5-0 out of 5 stars Good Seuss story of sticking to your duty.
Though it is hard to pick a favorite by Dr. Seuss, this is one of his best. The king works hard so he can play hard. When the duke takes away the fun, the kingdom has problems. Only a boy who knows his duty to his king can save the kingdom.

5-0 out of 5 stars Play Hard . . . Work Hard!
Many young people are unsure about the proper balance between work and fun. As a result, they tend to overemphasize one or the other. Dr. Seuss has created a wonderful book here to relieve youngsters of the sense that they should work hard all of the time.

This is an early book by Dr. Seuss, and it is written in prose rather than rhyme. Despite this, the prose often has a definite meter, and he sneaks in rhyming words now and again.

The illustrations are predominately in black and white, but splashes of red are used for emphasis to good effect.

The story is quite funny. The king's passion is to run around the kingdom on his red stilts. But he never does so until after putting in a full twelve hours of grueling work.

Never was there a harder working king than Birtram. He even signs papers while taking a bath at five in the morning!

He feels very responsible, because he kingdom is threatened by natural disaster if he lets down his guard.

Who could begrudge such a fine king his fun? Well, there is one who does. Where could that lead?

I also found the book very good for introducing the concept of how we all rely on one another for our well-being. For example, this story can also help a parent explain the need to go to work, despite a sincere desire to stay and play with her or his child.

I think the book is good, too, for helping children think about what kind of work they might want to do when they are older. What benefit would they like others to receive from their work? How hard would they like to work? What difficulties would be bearable, and which would be too much?

After you finish enjoying this book, I suggest that you and your child spend time planning how you can have more fun playing together, and still meet your responsibilities. You can also tell your child about different kinds of work that adults do, and what the stresses and strains are. Although no four year old is going to choose a vocation, it is never too soon to start providing the raw material for mental exploration of work alternatives. Most of us will spend more time working than anything else we will do in our lives except sleep!

May you and your family find ways to play hard that energize and excite you to do your work well!

5-0 out of 5 stars All work and no stilts put King Birtram's kingdom in danger
Theodore Seuss Geisel, using his famous pen name of Dr. Seuss, wrote and illustrated his first children's book, "And to Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street," in 1937. Two years later he wrote "The King's Stilts." Even at this early point in his career Dr. Seuss was able to emphasize the idea that reading could be fun without have to be moralistic and that it was important that the illustrations actually had a close relationship with the text of the story. Geisel once declared: "I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, and that enables you to laugh at life's realities." Certainly "The King's Stilts" evidences that point.

The story begins with the point that King Birtram on the Kingdom of Binn NEVER wore his stilts during business hours and that he worked very hard, continuing to sign important papers of state even while he was taking a bath. However, the king's most important job was caring for the mighty Dike Trees that protected the people of Binn from the sea. Their heavy, knotted roots held back the water. However, those roots were also very tasty to Nizzards, a kind of giant blackbird with a sharp and pointed beak. If the Nizzards were to eat the roots of the Dike Trees then the roots would soon give way, the sea would pour in, and every last soul in the Kingdom of Binn would drown. But King Birtram did not allow this to happen and by gathering together a thousand of the largest and smartest cats in the world to function as Patrol Cats (wearing badges that say "P.C."). These cats were so important that the Cat Kitchen was bigger than that of the King and even had the best cooks in the land.

Every day from seven in the morning, when he watched the changing of the Cat Guard, to five in the afternoon, the King inspected every root of every Dike Tree in the kingdom. Only after that important task was finished each day would King Bitram hurry back to his castle to get his red stilts and start racing through his marble halls and garden stairs. The people thought it looked strange, but they knew the king worked hard and well as his job and if he wanted to have a bit of fun then he should be allowed to do whatever he wanted to do. Unfortunately Lord Droon was the one person in Binn who did not like fun and who sulked long enough that the decided to steal the King's stilts, which is when things start to go bad for both King Birtram and his people.

What makes this an interesting book is that, as is usually the case, Dr. Seuss is telling a story that imparts lessons to both young readers and older readers alike. If anything it is the latter that are the target audience for this story, since we see that being able to play is as important as hard work. As long as someone works long and hard they deserve to do what ever their heart desires when it comes to having fun. Meanwhile, younger readers would be getting the opposite lesson, learning that being able to have fun as an adult is dependent upon earning your enjoyment (which makes it clear that "The King's Stilts" is really more for adults).

I was actually surprised that "The King's Stilts" was written in 1939, because if I were trying to guess at what inspired Dr. Seuss to tell this particular story it would have been the concern in the press about President Dwight D. Eisenhower playing golf so often (I thought King Birtram looked a bit like Ike). But evidently Dr. Seuss was going for a more universal idea here. Meanwhile there is the entire subtext of how a kingdom might be lost because of a pair of stilts the same way as the old story about the battle lost for the want of a nail, which only serves to prove that with the good doctor there are always multiple levels to the story and its lessons.

5-0 out of 5 stars Day Cats, Night Cats
Another of the finest long-form Seuess books, THE KINGS STILTS joins BARTHOLOMEW AND THE OOBLECK, HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS and both of the Horton the Elephant books as his finest works for new readers.

5-0 out of 5 stars The best Dr. Seuss book
This is a Dr. Seuss book that a mother can love. It's long, but entertaining even the fifteenth time you've read it. No tongue twisters or silly rhymes, just a playful, fun story with a good message to discuss with your children. ... Read more


54. I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew : (Reissue)
by DR SEUSS
list price: $14.95
our price: $8.97
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0394800923
Catlog: Book (1965-08-12)
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Sales Rank: 30802
Average Customer Review: 4.88 out of 5 stars
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Our nameless hero--a typical Seuss hybrid who's part bear, part puppy,and part beyond categorization--has an innocent, carefree life, until it's ruined by minor problems. With a toe stubbed, and a tail bitten by a Quilligan Quail ("And I learned there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead, and some come from behind"), he sets out on an ill-fated journey to find a better, less troublesome place: the fabled city of Solla Sollew, no less, "on the banks of the beautiful River Wah-Hoo,/ Wherethey never have troubles. At least very few." Like most dreamlands, Solla Sollew is harder to attain than expected--nobody seems to know how to get there, and the journey is far worse than anyone anticipated. When the faircity is finally attained there is, of course, a last straw; but a happy twist suggests troubles may be better faced than escaped. (Ages 4 to 8) --Richard Farr ... Read more

Reviews (17)

5-0 out of 5 stars Still my favorite Seuss after 35 years of reading it
(If I could rate it twice, it would have ten stars.)

The un-named hero of the story has so many troubles he doesn't know what to do, so, on the advice of a passerby, decides to make the trip to Solla Sollew, where they never have troubles (at least, very few!) So begins an odyssey which, after more adventures than you'll find in any other Seuss, teaches the lesson that it's better to face troubles than to run away. This book captivated me on my 5th birthday (the year it was first published) and is still my favorite. The plot is more complete and complex than any other Seuss, and the moral is as valuable today as when I first read it. A side benefit is the striking use of color; the Dr. used a more subtle color scheme in Solla Sollew and it enhances the realism of the story. This, as much as any other, is essential Seuss.

5-0 out of 5 stars The Grass Only Seems To Be Greener Elsewhere
This book is great for the child who is never satisfied, or is too easily discouraged.

The story opens with a happy, carefree young furry creature with a tail in the Valley of Vung starting to have problems because he gets careless and doesn't look around. Discouraged by these setbacks, he is all ears when a chap on a One-Wheeler Wubble comes along and says that there's never any trouble in the City of Solla Sollew, and offers take him there. The trip turns out to be very arduous and difficult. Finally at Solla Sollew, a new problem arises. From this experience, he decides to be more proactive in the future. "Now my troubles are going, To have trouble with me!"

Like all of the Dr. Seuss books, this one is enlivened by hilarious creatures, dramatic and colorful illustrations, and a pleasant rhyming scheme that uses funny names to aid the rhymes.

One of the most difficult lessons for people to learn is that we carry the seeds of all our problems and opportunities around with us. Simply changing the scenery may not be enough, if our old ways of thinking still guide us. If you are somewhat depressed and see no opportunity in one place, even in an earthly paradise you can still experience life the same way.

Many people go through life looking for the perfect mate, house, and job, only to be constantly disappointed. In I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew, that voyage toward perfection can be quickly experienced and the lesson learned. Here is where a parent can make a big difference. You need to share some experiences in your own life where you lived this story, and share what you learned as a result. In this way, you can help you child in later years by providing an alternative perspective and reminding her or him or this story. "Are you going to Solla Sollew?" can be a shorthand way of encouraging your child to re-examine the purpose of the sought-for change.

For an adult, the benefit from this story can be to help you consider whether all of the error-elimination you pursue is worth the effort. My clients frequently are interested in reducing their error rate. They may be starting, though, in an area with an error rate that is only one in ten million occurrences. And the area being considered may be relatively unimportant to the success of the organization. The same effort could instead make important improvements in some area where mistakes abound, results do matter, and perfection is an impossible dream.

Decide what the problem is before you grab just any solution!

5-0 out of 5 stars Underappreciated
This Dr. Seuss classic story is underappareciated by readers young and old. The verse is creative and enchanting, and reminiscent of that old stand-by, "There's a Wocket In My Pocket", with its fantastical inventions.

Not to mention, this particular story teaches a valuable lesson about how "the grass is always greener on the other side".

If you're a Seuss fan and haven't checked this one out yet, give it a try.

5-0 out of 5 stars my favorite dr. seuss
As a child, someone read this book to me only once, and I looked for it ever afterward. It seemed more magical, somehow, than all the other Doctor Sues books. In college, I stumbled across it again and bought it. It's still one of my favorites'a great pick-me-up if you're feeling beat, definitely good for college students.

The story is about a fellow who has troubles and so goes looking for the beautiful city of 'Solla Sollew, on the banks of the beautiful river wha-hoo, where they never have troubles, at least very few!' Well, as you can imagine, he has a terrible time getting to Solla Sollew'flood ands wars and wild beasts'and when he finally gets there, he discovers that the advantages of Solla Sollew have been somewhat exaggerated. He ends up going back home with a new attitude. The story isn't any different than many similar stories, but the rhymes are particularly lyrical, the artwork particularly funny. I pull it out every few months and read it, and I laugh every time.

4-0 out of 5 stars More Involving Then Most Seuss
This was my absolute favorite Suess book when I was little. It always seemed to me to be larger in every way than the other Seuss books, and in fact my copy (which I have carefully preserved almost 40 years now) was indeed physically larger in size. The format of a quest was as appealing to me as a youngster as it is to all of us in its many more mature formats. Like all Seuss books, it is a little wierd and twisted - I am not always sure that is a good thing, but I loved the alliteration of phrases like "the perilous poozers of pomplemoose pass". As many have noted, the plot of a character facing his troubles in stead of searching for greener pastures was clearly evident to me as a 4 year old. I learned from this book that there are key slapping slippards everywhere, and that troubles that seem large at first can be faced with determination and preparation. The illustrations to me seem more detailed than most Seuss fare, with greater variety of strange characters and settings. ... Read more


55. ¡Oh, cúan lejos llegarás!
by Dr. Seuss
list price: $15.95
our price: $10.85
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 1880507056
Catlog: Book (1993-01-01)
Publisher: Lectorum Publications
Sales Rank: 154158
Average Customer Review: 5 out of 5 stars
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Reviews (2)

5-0 out of 5 stars First Rate
This is an excellent translation that transfers the poetry of Seuss into Spanish. Not all translations are equal, but Marcuse's are first rate. Brava!

5-0 out of 5 stars A flawless translation
The 5 stars are for the translator. What a wonderful rendering of Dr. Seuss inspirational masterpiece! It makes for the perfect gift for all ages and all occasions. ... Read more


56. The Secret Art of Dr. Seuss
by AUDREY GEISEL, Theodor Seuss Geisel, Maurice Sendak
list price: $35.00
our price: $22.05
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0679434488
Catlog: Book (1995-10-03)
Publisher: Random House
Sales Rank: 9512
Average Customer Review: 4.92 out of 5 stars
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Beyond Dr. Seuss's work for children is an entirely different world--perhaps similar in whimsy and humor, but even more wondrous. The Secret Art of Dr. Seuss is a short (less than 100 pages) and beautiful full-color coffee-table book filled with cartoons, sketches, and oil paintings. The collection of birds, cats, lions, and pointy-headed peopleis fairly familiar territory for any true Seuss fan, but with a deeperamount of detail and more sophisticated tones. A favorite design in ink istitled "Impractical Marshmallow Toasting Device"--it's easy to see Seuss didn't find art to be a serious business. And could the oil painting "Cat from the Wrong Side of the Tracks" be a rendition of Cat in the Hat's evil twin? A wonderful, intriguing book for Seuss fans of all ages. --Jill Lightner ...