A Great Day in Munchkin Land

Children all over will spend much of tomorrow reading and listening to books by Dr. Seuss  in celebration of his 106th  birthday. That his work continues to entertain and engage children in this century's digitized world is impressive, but not surprising. There's something timeless about Dr. Seuss's rhythmical books: their common sense ideas couched in occasional nonsense words and ubiquitous rhyme, their memorable characters and titles, and their signature illustrations. Children still love them.  Most adults, even those who haven't read them to their own children, can recite lines from his stories. And every spring "Oh, The Places You'll Go"  is hailed as the most quoted book at commencement ceremonies across the land.  So in honor of this wonderful author and illustrator, let's enjoy some of his memorable lines:

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself, any direction you choose.

Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.

From there to here, and here to there, funny things are everywhere.

Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.

Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So... get on your way.

If you never did, you should. These things are fun, and fun is good.

I meant what I said, and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful, one hundred percent.

So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads.

And will you succeed? Yes indeed, yes indeed! Ninety-eight and three-quarters percent guaranteed.

Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.




Theodor Seuss Geisel b. March 2, 1904 d. September 24, 1991