Jailene Adorno ‘16 / Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer
Whether you fell in love with his fun rhymes or colorful illustrations, Dr. Seuss has made some kind of impression on you. Random House recently announced they discovered one of Dr. Seuss’s manuscripts for a book titled What Pet Should I Get? and are hoping to release the book on July 28. In honor of this exciting news, here are the top ten Dr. Seuss books:
10. Dr. Seuss’s ABC (1963)
Dr Seuss’s ABC. Photo Credit: Random House Children’s Books.
This book is as simple as its title suggests: it’s meant to teach children the alphabet. However, Dr. Seuss chooses to teach children the alphabet in a very fun way as he introduces them to different characters and uses alliteration to reinforce the sound each letter makes.
9. Fox in Socks (1965)
Fox in Socks. Photo Credit: Random House Children’s Books.
In this tongue-twisting book, we are introduced to Mr. Fox and Mr. Knox as they go from one setting to the next with a box and some socks. As they move along, they use rhymes that seem easy at first, but then progressively become more difficult to say. Fox in Socks is a whimsical book that will have children of all ages giggling at the funny rhymes.
8. And to Think I Saw It on Mulberry Street (1937)
And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street. Photo Credit: Random House Children’s Books.
Dr. Seuss’ first children’s book, And to Think I Saw It on Mulberry Street, is a fun tale about a young boy named Marco whose father advises him to keep his eyes open, for he might see something interesting on his way to school. Before he knows it, Marco sees a horse and wagon, but then he lets his imagination get away as he imagines the horse as a zebra, a reindeer, a giraffe, etc.
7. The Lorax (1971)
The Lorax. Photo Credit: Random House Children’s Books.
This Dr. Seuss book focuses a lot on environmental issues, specifically on trees. In the story, a young boy from a rundown town visits the Once-ler, who tells the boy about the Truffula trees and the Lorax who protects them. In this story, trees are something special that need to be protected and preserved. This protectiveness over trees aligned with Dr. Seuss’ own feelings about economic and environmental issues at the time.
6. Horton Hears a Who! (1954)
Horton Hears a Who! Photo Credit: Random House Children’s Books.“A person’s a person no matter how small…” For Horton the elephant, it all starts with a small noise, but then that small noise leads him on an incredible adventure. After realizing that a speck was making the noise, he decides to carry it around with him, only to discover that it’s actually a tiny planet containing Whoville. Once he meets the mayor of Whoville, he agrees to keep the Whos out of harm’s way.
5. One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish (1960)
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish. Random House Children’s Books.
Not only is it one of the all-time bestselling children’s books, but One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish has also been translated into many languages such as Dutch, Hebrew, Chinese, Spanish, and French. It’s a story about a young boy and girl and their fun animal friends, who use numbers, colors, and different emotions to describe their friends as well. It’s a classic and adored by many.
4. Green Eggs and Ham (1960)
Green Eggs and Ham. Photo Credit: Random House Children’s Books.
Who could forget Sam-I-Am? You have to applaud him for his tenacity. Sam-I-Am is determined to have the narrator try some green eggs and ham. He goes to great lengths to make the dish seem more appealing to the narrator, and in the end, his persistence wins.
3. Oh! The Places You’ll Go (1990)
Oh, the Places You’ll Go! Photo Credit: Random House Children’s Books.Oh! The Places You’ll Go is the last book published during Dr. Seuss’ lifetime. In this story, the narrator encourages the reader, who is repeatedly referred to as “you,” to go above and beyond and to be all that they can be. The narrator basically tells the reader that the world is their oyster and that they should make the most of their time. It’s a very encouraging book that is great for people of all ages. “And will you succeed? Yes! You will indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed).”
2. The Cat in the Hat (1957)
The Cat in the Hat. Photo Credit: Random House Children’s Books.
Sally and her brother are in for a treat when the Cat in the Hat shows up at their house. Between pestering their pet fish and bringing out Thing One and Thing Two, the Cat in the Hat only causes trouble. However, the mischief serves its purpose of entertaining the bored children as well as the readers. It’s a great book for any rainy day!
1. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1957)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Photo credit: Random House Children’s Books.
Through the Grinch, Dr. Seuss shows us that there’s more to Christmas than just gifts. The Grinch has to learn this lesson the hard way after he steals Christmas from the Whos. However, when the grouchy Grinch hears the Whos singing—despite the fact that they’d lost everything relating to Christmas—he has an epiphany about the true goodness of the holiday. His small heart grows three sizes, and he brings Christmas back to Whoville.
