Still Learning from Dr. Seuss

In 1960, Dr. Seuss wrote, “Children's reading and children's thinking are the rock-bottom base upon which this country will rise. Or not rise. In these days of tension and confusion, writers are beginning to realize that books for children have a greater potential for good or evil than any other form of literature on earth” (Philip Nel's Dr. Seuss Bio).

And how relevant those words still are, fifty years later!

Dr. Seuss has always been rather influential in my life. I learned to read with Dr. Seuss, specifically Green Eggs and Ham and The Cat in the Hat. When I turned seven, I received the Dr. Seuss book A Book about Me; it is a book I still have (and Aleigh has one waiting for her now, too, as will Abree when she is old enough). At my junior high graduation, our principal read Oh, The Places You’ll Go! And a dear friend gave me a copy of the same book when I graduated college.

Dr. Seuss was a staple growing up in my house, and his books have found their place in my children’s hearts as well—for great reason: Dr. Seuss presents the most important life lessons in the simplest of terms.

Not a fan of the food on your plate? Try it and you may just love it, Green Eggs and Ham encourages.

Feeling insignificant and forgotten? Horton Hears a Who reminds, “a person’s a person, no matter how small.”

Uncertain about your path because you are the only one on it? Oh, the Places You’ll Go! reassures, “Alone is something you’ll be quite a lot.” And that’s okay.

Bored on a rainy day? The Cat in the Hat reminds that all you need is a little imagination.

In honor of Dr. Seuss’s birthday and the fact that he will continue to inspire, teach, and encourage through the legacy he left, here are just a few of my many favorites:

“The more that you read, the more things you will know.

The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”

– I Can Read with My Eyes Shut!

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,

Nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

– The Lorax

“Oh the thinks you can think up if only you try!”

– Oh, The Thinks You Can Think!

“You have brains in your head, you have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.”

– Oh, The Places You’ll Go!

"Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store.

Maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more."

– How the Grinch Stole Christmas

What are your favorite Seuss quotes or books? How do these simple yet powerful children’s books continue to inspire you and your families?