Published: February 26, 2009 06:25 pm      

Seuss' Party

From here to there, adults remember funny things everywhere

Jamie Parsell —



“Oh, The Places You’ll Go!,” written in 1990 by the legendary Dr. Seuss is one of Crystal White Kieloch’s favorite Dr. Seuss books. Never mind, the book is in the children’s section at libraries and bookstores, Kieloch, who lives in Princeton, believes everyone could benefit from reading the book, which encourages kids to believe in their abilities.

Seuss, whose birthday is tomorrow, tells his readers they can move mountains each and every day. An idea that is appealing to working adults, college students, parents and, finally, beginning readers who face the daunting task of learning vocabulary words.

“This is so important to me as I face each day and now particularly in my job as I encourage students to do their best in whatever task they undertake,” Kieloch said.

Anne Hess, of Hearthside Books in Bluefield, also enjoys the more grown up book, but says the best-selling book at the store is probably “The Cat in the Hat.” Teachers tend to buy up different Seuss books, but parents look for titles from their own childhood, she said.

“Right now, ‘The Lorax’ is popular because of the environment and save the earth campaigns,” Wilma Bury said. Bury, also of Hearthside Books, prefers “Green Eggs and Ham.”

“I think they are all great. I just like that goofy one,” she said.

Around the country, libraries and schools will celebrate the literary life of Theodor Seuss Geisel — the publisher of more than 60 children’s books — who is responsible for the best-selling books “Green Eggs and Ham,” “The Cat in the Hat” and “One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish.” During his birthday month, children will revel in “The Cat and The Hat” and laugh about the combination of green eggs and ham. Events are scheduled for tomorrow evening at the Princeton Public Library at 6 p.m. The Craft Memorial Library will celebrate on March 5 at 3:30 p.m.

But what about adults? For many around the two Virginias, Dr. Seuss is a pop culture icon — a literary part of childhood full of rhymes and rhythms. Adults remember the light bulb that flickered with understanding, head bent over a book. The growing vocabulary, the colorful illustrations and then the Hollywood adaptations that brought the books to life.

“I have to say that I am still partial to ‘Green Eggs and Ham’,” said Tasha Hicks of Bluefield. “I love the idea of something so nasty sounding being delicious in the end. I love how Dr. Seuss could use the alliterations to teach something such as try new things.”

Among adults “Green Eggs and Ham” is one of the most popular of Dr. Seuss’ books. Angela White Neal, a third grade teacher at Mercer Elementary, likes using the books in the classroom.

“They are timeless and easy for children to read because of the rhyme and repetition all throughout the books,” she said.

Of course, her personal favorite is “Green Eggs and Ham.”

“It always sticks out in my mind because I remember a teacher I had in elementary school who actually cooked us green eggs and ham on Dr. Seuss’ birthday.”

In Buchanan County, Va., Barbara Woods will help celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday at Russell Prater Elementary.

“We are having the kids write their own book,” Woods said. The teacher aide has read more Dr. Seuss books as an adult — not a child.

“I like the ‘The Cat in the Hat’ even if it is the most popular. My grandkids like it too,” she said.

Adults are more familiar with Dr. Seuss, thanks to Hollywood’s adaptation of 2000’s “The Grinch,” 2003’s “The Cat in the Hat,” and last years “Horton Hears a Who.” Some adults fondly remember the 1966 television special “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”

“My earliest memory is not reading a Seuss book but that of anticipating every year the best Christmas special on television with ‘The Grinch that Stole Christmas.’ This animated special was my all time favorite because the Grinch had a change of heart ... just as we all need,” Kieloch said.

In 2008, “Horton Hears a Who” passed the $100 million mark at the box office, proving Seuss — on the page or big screen — is entertainment for all ages.

Greg Camden, of Bluefield, believes Horton is one of the best Dr. Seuss characters of all time. But he admits he likes the story because it wasn’t required reading by his elementary teachers. Horton, a more obscure character, didn’t receive as much attention compared to Seuss’ other books.

The first book about Horton titled “Horton Lays an Egg” was written in 1940. The second book, written in 1954, finds Horton listening to a speck of dust, which is really a planet filled with tiny Who’s.

However, it is also Tazewell resident Leslee Atkins’ favorite book.

“I love elephants,” Atkins said. “I remember growing up in Kansas and celebrating Dr. Seuss day. I got to pick the book that the Cat would read and I picked ‘Horton Hears a Who.’”

But many adults like Seuss’ books because of the political undertones. Chris Lyons of Princeton likes “One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish.”

“It is a totally different book when you read it as an adult,” he said. “It makes for a completely different story.”

The book, written in 1960, deals with Democrats and Republicans, an issue that children would never understand, but one that makes adults appreciate Seuss’ political humor. As for other political books, “The Lorax” deals with environmentalism and anti-consumerism, “The Butter Battle Book” is about the arms race of the ’80s, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” stands up against materialism and “Horton Hears a Who” speaks out about anti-isolationism and internationalism. And during the Watergate scandal, Seuss converted the title “Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now!” to “Richard M. Nixon, Will You Please Go Now” for a major newspaper cartoon.

Regardless of his stand on social issues, his greatest achievement is using 236 vocabulary words to create “The Cat in the Hat.” Written in 1954, it is the book that influenced the rest of his career — and the lives of millions of children.

In the opening page of “The Cat in the Hat,” Seuss writes, “The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play. So we sat in the house All that cold, cold, wet day.” The perfect day — a grand opportunity — to read a book, learn a line and get carried away by the magic of Seuss’ rhythm and rhyme.