The Cat in the Hat and The Lorax

The Cat in the Hat

The Cat in the Hat is a story of a crazy cat the reeks mayhem on a household of 2 children that has been temporarily left by the mother. The cat causes all kinds of trouble until the children finally realize that it won't be long until their mother returns and they force the cat to stop making messes and clean up.

A. I can't think of any contemporary book that presents quite the same tension as The Cat in the Hat. I am sure that there are some that present some controversial topics, but I haven't read any recently.

B. The Cat in the Hat still very much appeals to children. Dr. Seuss' way with words and great illustrations lure children into reading his books every day. The fact that it uses so many frequent sight words and also that it is such a great piece of literature are two solid reasons this book and others by Dr. Seuss should be kept in the classroom library and also in the LMC.

The Lorax

The Lorax is a tale of a Once-ler that destroys a forest of trees where the lorax and other animals live. The lorax gives warning to the Once-ler that if he does not stop cutting the trees, there will be nothing left, but the Once-ler does not heed his warnings. Greed and denial lead to the destruction of the forest.

A. The Lorax is didactic because it teaches a lesson about greed and also about conservation. This book has been deemed controversial by some because it is said that it has out a bad name on some logging companies and their treatment of the forests they log and the animals that live there.

B. As far as didactic books in the present day, I think there are still some. Eric Carle's The Very Hungy Caterpillar is a very good example of a book that teahes a lesson as we read about a caterpillar that eats too much and gets a very bad stomach ache.