I discovered Dr. Seuss when my son was born. Within the first week. I came home from the hospital to find mailers from children's book clubs. Lots of them. They all wanted me to sign up to receive the first ten books for 1 cent each (yes!) and then continue to receive four books each week.
If I decided to keep any book after the first ten, I would pay their regular price, but if I did not want them, I could return them. Sounded completely harmless, and, to a hormone-crazed mother of a newborn with visions of her child flipping through books very, very soon, desirable even.
So I signed up.
Pretty soon, things went out of control. The books started arriving. They started piling up. I did not have time to take a shower, let alone keep track of the books, choose the ones I wanted, and make arrangements to return the rest. Soon I just found it easier to keep everything and pay. Which is exactly what those book clubs were counting on.
A couple of months later I caught on. So I called and cancelled every single de facto subscription.
But I will forever be grateful to those book clubs because in those rows of books accumulating on a tiny white bookcase in my son's room, at least five were Dr. Seuss' books.
I kept every single book that arrived in those first few months and as time went on, I read them to my son.
Of all of Dr. Seuss' characters, I love Horton the best. My son's loyalties keep changing, but me, I'm a die-hard Horton fan.
Another classic Horton tale is Horton Hears a Who, about this town called Whoville and its residents - the Whos - who are so, so tiny that they and their entire town can fit on a speck of dust.
Horton happens to hear their cries for help one day as the speck flies past his head (what with his big ears and all). He tries to help them and again he is the butt of all the jokes in the Jungle of Nool, this time because none of his friends can hear the Whos. In fact, they are very upset with him for harping on and on about a town on a speck of dust.
Article comments
1 - Thomas M. Sipos
Over thirty years after reading about them, I've still not forgotten the Star-Bellied Snithes and the Snitches With None.
2 - Howard Dratch
More than 50 years later this particular son still remembers Horton well and reading (and being read to) Dr. Seuss with my mother.
If creating good thoughts and relationships for close to 56 years is a mark of good writing, then Dr. Seuss deserves whatever awards he won plus some.
3 - Sterfish
These books are classics that will be enjoyed for years to come. Also, I'd recommend you look for the great Looney Tune version of "Horton Hatches The Egg."
4 - sujatha
Thomas, Howard and Sterfish, thank you for your comments. They are heartening to say the least. Growing up, I had no clue who Dr. Seuss was and am just thankful that I discovered them when I did, late as it was. Thank you for your suggestions as well. I'll check them out!