Seuss-ical II

The Lorax is my favorite picture book. Hands down. No contest. Numbero uno. I like Dr. Seuss but I can only name a few of his other books. Name some now? How Now Brown Cow. The Grinch (never should have been a live-action movie). Green Eggs and Ham. One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. And that one everyone buys for high school graduates. There, I named a handful but The Lorax is my all-time favorite. I was surprised to learn that it was not lauded after its release in 1971. The message is so appealing to me.

The Lorax is the story of the Once-ler, a man who knew opportunity when he saw it, Truffula trees. He transformed every Truffula tree he could find into a thneed, something everyone needs. The Lorax warns him that he is destroying the home of many creatures, not to mention the trees by depleting the forest and polluting the air and water. The Once-ler doesn’t listen but later regrets his decision. He gives the last Truffula seed to a young boy and tells him, “UNLESS…someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, its not” (Seuss). The story is a metaphoric moral. The Once-er represents industry and the Lorax represent all of nature, the planet. Unless the reader cares for the planet, nothing will improve.

The Lorax shows how people alter their environment and what will happen to our home if we don’t start taking better care of it. Apparently, this message hit home with many people in the 70s because it was controversial. I think it probably sparked guilt in many readers. This book is not only a good story with colorful pictures and funny words, it is a fable. It teaches the readers a moral. So, what modern books teach a moral as well as The Lorax?

That is a tough one. Blabbermouse by True Kelley teaches students to help a friend who can’t keep secrets. Odd Velvet by Mary Whitcomb teaches children that everyone is unique and it is okay to be different. A Bad Case of Tattle Tongue written by Julia Cook teaches students about what it tattling and what is not. While all of these books teach a lesson, I don’t think they equal the power of The Lorax and its message. The Lorax was intended for a young audience but it could be read to high school or college age students and the moral would remain as strong. I’m not sure I can name a contemporary book as didactic as The Lorax. Any suggestions? Does this mean that children’s literature has been dumb-ed down or that it is too much about entertainment?

Seuss, D. (1971). The Lorax. New York: Random House.