Review: One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish

One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish

Written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss

Publication Date: 1960
Publisher: Beginner Books
ISBN-13: 978-0394800134

This is less a narrative and more a collection of rhymes about random nonsensical things. Have you ever sung in the shower with a Ying? Or given a Zed a haircut? Or ridden on the hump of a Wump? Do you have no idea what I’m talking about? You’ll have to read this book to find out.

Like the other Dr. Seuss books this one is a lot of fun to read and a lot of fun to listen to.

In spite of the crazy rhymes and wild images, the book ends with a sleeping Zeep, making it a not completely inappropriate book for reading to the kids at bed-time.

My rating: 4 out of 5

Review written by team_s

Review: The Cat in the Hat

The Cat in the Hat

Written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss

Publication Date: 1957
Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 0-394-90001-4

According to the quick search I did on Wikipedia, this story was written in response to a challenge to write a book for children using a limited number of words considered important for children starting school to be familiar with.
Obviously, this is a classic that we remember from our own childhoods, and with good reason. The rhyming is engaging, the story is fantastical (a weird-looking cat wearing an oversized hat who just shows up on the doorstep and wrecks havoc!), and there’s enough suspense to keep us all interested to the last word.

My rating: 4.5 out of 5

Review written by team_s

Review: Oh, The Places You'll Go!

Oh, The Places You’ll Go!

Written and Illustrated by Dr. Seuss

Publication Date: 1990 (originally published in 1957)
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN-13: 978-0-00-786026-5

Summary/back cover:
From bang-ups and hang-ups to lurches and slumps, Dr. Seuss takes a hilarious look at the mishaps and misadventures that life may have in store for us.

Review:
Okay, if I could take a moment to amend an earlier review, this book is the one you should be sure to give your kids when they leave home. I wish it had been given to me as a burgeoning adult. It’s fantastic for putting life’s ups and downs into perspective and filling the reader with a strong sense of self:

“Out there things can happen
and frequently do
to people as brainy
and footsy as you.”

This story is as beneficial to us parents as it is to our kids. In fact, it’s possible I enjoy reading this story more than my two year olds enjoy listening to it. I think some of the illustrations weird my kids out a bit! I do feel this story is a bit more grown-up than some of the others by Dr. Seuss (ie. The Cat in the Hat). It is a yellow back book, which in the Dr. Seuss collection is considered to be ideal for those children who can already read fluently.

A classic Dr. Seuss story that deserves to be included in your children’s book collection, next to Green Eggs and Ham, and The Cat in the Hat.

My rating: 4.8 out of 5

Review written by team_s

Review: Green Eggs and Ham

Publication Date: 1962
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 978-0-00-715846-1

Ratings:
amazon.com: 4.7 out of 5 (246 ratings)
goodreads.com: 4.28 out of 5 (59,031 ratings)

Summary/Back cover:
When Sam-I-am pesters a grumpy grouch to eat a plate of green eggs and ham, we soon find we can't know what we really like until we have tried it!
By combining the funniest stories, craziest creatures and zaniest pictures with his unique blend of rhyme, rhythm and repetition, Dr. Seuss helps children of all ages and abilities learn to read.

This is one of those classics that every child should read - I'm a huge Dr. Seuss fan, and am forever adding to my (ahem, I mean, my childrens') collection of Dr. Seuss books.

Green Eggs and Ham is probably one of the best known books that he wrote, and is now catering to it's 3rd or 4th generation of readers. Dr. Seuss is well known for making up words and creatures in his stories, but this books is not one of them - all the words and creatures will be familiar to children.

Dr Seuss' books are split into three groups: the blue back, the green back and the yellow back books. This is one of the green back books, which are "for children just beginning to read on their own" - other books in this group include Fox in Socks, The Cat in the Hat, and Ten Apples Up on Top (yes, all of which we have in our collection!)

I thoroughly recommend Dr. Seuss in general (I'll be reviewing more of his books in the future), and particularly recommend Green Eggs and Ham - we probably all read it as children, and our parents probably read it too. It's only fair that our own children get to know the classics of the children's book world too!

My rating: 4.5 out of 5 - one that should be bought and read until the parents have it memorised!

Review written by Bronwyn