I still have the Dr Seuss books I read as a child

My Day 2 entry for the 30 Day Photography Challenge was a photo of my ‘I am Sam’ T-shirt, one of my favourite Dr Seuss shirts (I have several). I love the persistent and passionate Sam in Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham, possibly because this is a Seuss story that I remember from my childhood and possibly because I’m rather fond of quoting him to my children when they don’t want to try a new food at dinner time. (‘You do not like them. So you say. Try them! Try them! And you may. Try them and you may, I say’)

Do you remember reading Seuss books as a child? I’m sure you do, because I’m sure they don’t let you graduate from childhood to adulthood if you haven’t experienced Seuss. The Seuss books I remember from childhood are mostly the early reader classics – The Cat in the Hat, The Cat in the Hat Comes Back, Hop on Pop, Green Eggs and Ham and One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.

I can’t forget Ten Apples Up On Top either. For some reason I LOVED the illustrations in this book. And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street was another favourite. Well, let’s face it, they were all favourites. I also vividly remember being incredibly envious of my best friend’s copies of Wacky Wednesday and Try to Remember the First of Octember. I loved The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins, although I’m not sure that I actually realised that this was a Seuss book until I was much older. And then there was Fox in Socks, of course, because who could resist reading about Tweetle Beetles and their battles, bottles, puddles, paddles, poodles, and noodles?

I’ve learned more about Seuss in recent years. I attended an exhibition of his editorial cartoons and other drawings (including book illustrations) a few years ago and was fascinated by the

Do we love Seuss? Yes! We do!

intelligence, humour and insight his work displayed (although hardly surprised I must say). I’ve read The Lorax, Oh, the Places You’ll Go and I had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew with my own children and feel a little sad that I didn’t get to enjoy them during my own childhood.

I’ve also discovered a few lesser known Seuss books in the past few years that have built the pedestal I place Seuss upon just that little bit higher. In particular Hooray for Diffendoofer Day!, compiled posthumously from Seuss’ notes and drawings by children’s poet Jack Prelutsky and illustrator Lane Smith (author/illustrator of the wonderful It’s a Book). Hooray for Diffendoofer Day is a wonderful celebration of individuality, creativity and independent thinking. If you haven’t read it, you should try to find a copy because it is simply brilliant. I’ve given it as a Christmas gift to several of my children’s teachers and I have quoted it more times than I can remember.

Obviously I could go on and on (and on and on) about my infatuation with all things Seussical, but instead I’ll finish off with a quote from another posthumous Seuss publication My Many Coloured Days. The book is a simple but lovely way of exploring feelings with children. The sentence that impacted me most, however, was the dedication in the book from Seuss’ wife:

To Ted, who coloured my days… and my life.

This dedication brought tears to my eyes, because this amazing man that I never met and who never knew me has  coloured my life as wellwith his thoughtful words and whimsical illustrations.

Do you have a favourite Seuss memory? Do you remember reading Seuss as a child and/or do you read his books with your children? Which book is your favourite?