The Cat in the Hat and The Lorax

When someone says Dr. Seuss, most often we think of his most famous work The Cat in the Hat. It is often one of the first stories brought to children learning to read because of its repetitive nature and rhyming lines of simplistic language. This book still appeals to children today because of its notoriety—it appeals to many new readers as a right of passage into the reading world. It is also quite silly and most children enjoy the nonsensical nature of its plot and characters. Additionally, The Cat in the Hat has a broader theme—doing the right thing even when we might not get caught. The pet fish is the ethical character that reminds us to do the right thing. There are many contemporary titles that deliver similar messages, though not that are quite as captivating or memorable as The Cat in the Hat.

Another famous story by Dr. Seuss is the story of The Lorax. This book has a whimsical tone, but also has a much deeper message, that of the importance of conservation and helping our planet. It is educational as the main character is a Seuss-like creature who is an emblem for the trees, birds, fish, and other living things. The natural balance is offset because of the Once-ler, who is ravaging the trees to produce Thneeds to sell. It is affecting all the other organisms in the environment because they rely on those trees. Just a Dream by Chris Van Allsburg is a comparable story to that of The Lorax. He too uses a simplistic approach that is accessible to children to show what would happen if we do not begin to conserve our resources and take care of our planet.

Dr. Seuss has added so much to our children's literature development. Especially The Cat in the Hat and The Lorax are two titles that have multiple purposes and would be a wonderful addition to a school library.