I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the library
The Lorax
by
Dr. Seuss
picture book in Hardcover edition that was published by Random House for Young Readers on February 24, 1998 and has 72 pages.
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Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Sneetches and Other Stories, Horton Hatches the Egg & Horton Hears a Who!, Green Eggs and Ham, The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories, Hooray for Diffendoofer Day!, Daisy-Head Mayzie, Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose, The King's Stilts, Scrambled Eggs Super!, Bartholomew and the Oobleck, Horton and the Kwuggerbug and More Lost Stories, You're Only Old Once!, My Many Colored Days, McElligot's Pool, If I Ran the Circus, Sleep Book, I Can Lick 30 Tigers Today! and Other Stories, I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
An environmental protest against greed, for “unless someone like you…cares a whole awful lot…nothing is going to get better… It’s not”.
My Take
Seuss has such a beautiful rhythm with his words, those made-up words, that tell us so much. The objects in his world are such fun what with butterfly milk, rippulous, marvelous, snergelly hose. It’s all an invitation to sing-song and read. Definitely a story good for cheering you up however your day went. And a good opportunity to talk about taking care of the earth.
Ooh, a nasty look at how man just has to destroy when the Once-ler chops down that Truffula Tree. The need to grow bigger and bigger and make more and more money.
The illustrations are colorful in a soft sort of way with most of them having a night sort of feel.
It’s the perfect book for parents who want their children to be aware of the earth and its need for protection. For humanity being responsible for what they do to their environment.
The Story
Those silky soft tufts give Once-ler ideas. How can he not use them to make his fortune?
And why not sell Thneeds when there’s a sucker born every minute?
The Characters
The Lorax is the Truffula Tree guardian and spokeslorax for the Bar-ba-loots who eat Truffula Fruit. The Swomee-Swans are susceptible to smoke. The Humming-Fish need clear water to hum.
The Once-ler is a man who sees an opportunity for business and lets nothing stop him.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a bright sky blue with a narrow band of bright green grass and four tufty Truffula Trees. And one lone stump holding a worried looking Lorax.
The title is our conscience, The Lorax. Or Gaea!
