The Lorax as early environmentalist
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In today’s book section, Erik Himmelsbach looks at ‘The Lorax,’ a candy-colored children’s book by Dr. Seuss that also happens to be an environmental classic.
‘’The Lorax’ was very overt, very political,’ says William Dreyer, curator of the Art of Dr. Seuss Collection. ‘It was a statement on conservation and corporate responsibility.... ‘He embedded many sociopolitical messages throughout his career. His true genius lies in that it was done with such humor and finesse.’
Was Dr. Seuss -- Theodor Geisel -- conscious of the political content of his work? Apparently so. In a 1960 essay he wrote:
‘Children’s reading and children’s thinking are the rock-bottom base upon which the future of this country will rise. Or not rise. Books for children have a greater potential for good or evil than any other form of literature on earth.’
‘The Lorax’ was published in 1971, nine years after Rachel Carson’s ‘Silent Spring’ and three years after the first ‘Whole Earth Catalog.’ It was the early days of the environmental movement, and the book didn’t reach massive appeal. But in the last five years, sales of the book have doubled; people who read the book as children remember its message and are reading it to kids of their own.
Read Himmelsbach’s article here.
-- Carolyn Kellogg
