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The Lorax (Classic Seuss) | 
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| Authors: Dr. Seuss, Theodor Seuss Geisel
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Category: Book
List Price: $14.95
Buy New: $7.99
You Save: $6.96 (47%)
New (54) Used (29) Collectible (5) from $5.99
Rating:  132 reviews
Sales Rank: 2260
Media: Hardcover
Reading Level: Ages 4-8
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 72
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 11.1 x 8 x 0.4
ISBN: 0394823370
EAN: 9780394823379
ASIN: 0394823370
Publication Date: August 12, 1971
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Amazon.com Review
When Dr. Seuss gets serious, you know it must be important. Published in 1971, and perhaps inspired by the "save our planet" mindset of the 1960s, The Lorax is an ecological warning that still rings true today amidst the dangers of clear-cutting, pollution, and disregard for the earth's environment. In The Lorax, we find what we've come to expect from the illustrious doctor: brilliantly whimsical rhymes, delightfully original creatures, and weirdly undulating illustrations. But here there is also something more--a powerful message that Seuss implores both adults and children to heed. The now remorseful Once-ler--our faceless, bodiless narrator--tells the story himself. Long ago this enterprising villain chances upon a place filled with wondrous Truffula Trees, Swomee-Swans, Brown Bar-ba- loots, and Humming-Fishes. Bewitched by the beauty of the Truffula Tree tufts, he greedily chops them down to produce and mass-market Thneeds. ("It's a shirt. It's a sock. It's a glove. It's a hat.") As the trees swiftly disappear and the denizens leave for greener pastures, the fuzzy yellow Lorax (who speaks for the trees "for the trees have no tongues") repeatedly warns the Once-ler, but his words of wisdom are for naught. Finally the Lorax extricates himself from the scorched earth (by the seat of his own furry pants), leaving only a rock engraved "UNLESS." Thus, with his own colorful version of a compelling morality play, Dr. Seuss teaches readers not to fool with Mother Nature. But as you might expect from Seuss, all hope is not lost--the Once-ler has saved a single Truffula Tree seed! Our fate now rests in the hands of a caring child, who becomes our last chance for a clean, green future. (Ages 4 to 8)
Product Description
Illus. in full color. "The big, colorful pictures and the fun images, word plays and rhymes make this an amusing exposition of the ecology crisis."--School Library Journal.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 127 more reviews...
The Sound of Living Down Slow Into the Ground January 6, 2009
There's not much to say, so many things to write
About this book by Seuss, a zinger with a theme that's less than trite
As usual he invents words and things and animals to delight
There's no stopping his inventiveness, his genius gives me to fright
But read on I must, and so must you
For he offers a commentary on the world around too
It isn't so sweet really, and the kids would do well
To learn this early instead of thinking all's swell
The trees of Truffula offered fruit divine
Until they were all chopped down by a capitalist swine
He doesn't really say that, I phrased it myself
Forgive the intensity from this young scribe elf
But you see, just recently I had this vision
Of a culture that's driven
Past the red line
I tried to convince the local middle school principal, yes I did
To simply show to a film to our kids
A film called The Story of Stuff, it's really quite stunning
And not a stone's throw from Seuss's moral funning
But he said no and I learned convincingly
That our attachment to the status quo is practically instinctual
This book, and yes the film too I'm happy to say
Try to raise the bar
To admit that our growth economy has gone a bit too far
No he would not show the Story of Stuff
The kids might get upset, it would be too tough
To affect their belief in Santa Claus
And all that he stands for
Oh but that's just one example of many
For me, a silly parent, a concerned ninny
So yes, Seuss does it well, surely better than me
He starts with a book about a simple tree
And then there are thweaters or something equally funny
Things you can wear when sleeping or running
They are most needed, we couldn't be without them
So they cut all the trees and made enough for all, no doubt then
'Cept a funny thing happened they didn't expect
The water turned black and the air smelled like heck
The birds flew away, the animals fell ill
The price for the tweaters (or whatever they're called) was a bitter pill
You get the gist - its an important message
Enjoy the education, take steps to unsuppress the suppressage
Whether with the books you read, like this one
Or the causes you champion, like challenging curriculum
Its for the kids I say this, for the kid's future
We'll all be better off - with the help of ideas Seuss helps nurture
El Lorax Rocks! December 22, 2008
Aida E. Marcuse is a genius! I've read other Dr. Seuss books that were translated literally, and if you know Dr. Seuss, that won't work at all. It's all about rhymes.
Aida E. Marcuse understands this and has done an outstanding job with this and several other Suess books, in particular [Huevos Verdes con Jamon.]
Si, me gusto Juan Ramon! :)
I guess I'm a tree-hugger September 28, 2008
Okay, so this is probably as preachy as Dr. Suess gets, and it just might get on the nerves of some people, but the tree hugger in me salutes him for it, even as he paints a grimmer picture of environmental destruction than Al Gore ever thought of.
Even so, it's clearly Suess with his imaginative worlds and funny characters.
It's a solemn book of warning that it pretty darn good into scaring kids into being careful with the environment.
And that's not a bad thing.
Human-environmental interaction September 21, 2008
I could not wait to present this lesson to the class this year. Teaching seventh grade and the 5 themes of geography this book lends itself to many of those themes but mostly human-environmental interaction (how human interact and change the environment to fit their needs). Not only does this book show that but it really visualizes how we negatively impact the Earth for our own selfish needs. Again my students are in love with the facts that I am reading them a storybook and after the discussion they see that it isn't a plain, old storybook but it really does have a significant meaning.
The Dr.'s Inspiring Masterpiece September 19, 2008
Review by Sherry North, Author, Because You Are My Baby
While most Dr. Suess stories are pure fun without any heavy message, The Lorax delivers an extremely blunt lesson on ecology. What's amazing is that Dr. Suess does this with a narrative that is engaging, entertaining and ultimately inspiring. You might think a book with such a heavy message could be a turn-off to young children, but I have found the opposite. My preschoolers find this story absorbing. I think they understand there is something truly important at stake, so the book means more to them than other Dr. Suess titles.
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