Dr. Seuss Books: Brilliant or Just Plain Nonsense?

When it comes to Dr.Seuss books, parents either love them or hate them. I personally love them, and here is why:

I loved reading Dr. Seuss books growing up. I enjoyed the silly rhymes and quirky illustrations so when I had my children I looked forward to introducing them to Dr. Seuss. My children love listening to me read Dr.Seuss books. Our favourites include: The Lorax, Green Eggs and Ham, Horton Hears A Who, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, and Oh, The Places You’ll Go!

These clever books give children the opportunity to learn rhyme and rhythm, and develop phonological awareness which will help them learn to read easily and quickly as well as become good readers and good spellers.

Phonological awareness is the ability to distinguish rhymes, speech sounds, and syllables. It is a skill that is developed during the pre-school years, through listening which is why is it essential for parents to start reading to their children as early as possible. Many children’s books are written in rhyming verses because rhyme stimulates the development of phonological awareness.

Theodor Seuss Geisel, commonly known by his pen name Dr. Seuss, wrote and illustrated nealy 44 children’s books between the years of 1945 and 1975. He also wrote books that were illustrated by other people. As old as these books are, they remain popular and continue to sell for a reason. Dr. Seuss books are fun to read, help children learn to read on their own, and build imagination. Most importantly both children and adults can learn so much from Dr. Seuss. I love the hidden wisdom and inspiration that is hidden withinin these books.

Here are some of my favourite Dr.Seuss quotes:

Dr. Seuss books are often criticized as much as they are loved. One reason newer generation parents avoid Dr. Seuss is because they believe all the made up words will confuse children and slow down learning. I believe the made up words and silly rhymes is what attracts children to these books. To be successful readers, children need to show interest in books and Dr.Seuss is wonderful at capturing a child’s interest. Furthermore, playing with made-up and real words is a great way for children to learn the basics of word-building. Through silly words, simple words, simple lessons, and interesting characters, Dr. Seuss allows children to escape into a world of imagination while developing the skills required in learning to read. 

My opinion on Dr, Seuss is pretty obvious, however I don’t think any parent should limit their child’s library to just Dr. Seuss books. It is definitely beneficial to include some of the classics but it is also beneficial to expose your children to a wide variety of literature.

You can find Dr. Seuss books for children of all ages, here.

To learn more about phonological awareness, click here.

Feature Image: barnesandnoble.com