The Sneetches and Other Stories

The theme of the Sneetches is that everybody should be treated equally no matter what they look like. How perfect for the long-standing "anti-" in our country! Theodor S Geisel was ahead of his time and we are losing the battle! This book is composed of four separate stories with themes of tolerance, diversity, and compromise: "The Sneetches," "The Zax," "Too Many Daves," and "What Was I Scared Of?"Note:Some of Seuss's work for children has been criticized for unconscious racist themes. Dr. Seuss Enterprises, the organization that owns the rights to the books, films, TV shows, stage productions, exhibitions, digital media, licensed merchandise, and other strategic partnerships, announced on March 2, 2021, that it will stop publishing and licensing six books. The publications include:And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street (1937),If I Ran the Zoo (1950),McElligot's Pool (1947),On Beyond Zebra! (1955),Scrambled Eggs Super! (1953), and The Cat's Quizzer (1976). According to the organization, the books "portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong" and are no longer being published.

The Sneetches and the Zaks are two of my favorite Dr. Seuss stories. The other stories in the book are pretty decent too.My 4 year-old actually let me finish the whole book without getting bored or wandering off. I can't think of a better endorsement!

The Sneetches and Other Stories is fantastic reading for your child. It's not just that excellent first story in the title, but also three others that range from fun to thoughtful.The Sneetches is about creatures who separate into two groups based on appearance. With the star-bellied Sneetches looking down on the non-star-bellied Sneetches, tension builds...until in walks an entrepreneur who can instantly erase the differences with a "star-on" machine. I've heard reviewers crank about this story being pro-welfare, or liberal propaganda, but the lesson is more about prejudice, and while I won't spoil the story for you, there is a very P.T. Barnum-styled ending that helps the Sneetches realize that snap judgements lead to blinding one to what matters.The story "The Zax" is another blindered example where two creatures hate each other so much they let life pass them by. The rest of the world moves on, while they can't seem to get over their mutual dislike of each other. This story is very short.Then we have "Too Many Daves". Hilarious and silly, this is practically a short two-page poem, all about a mother who made the mistake of naming all of her children Dave. My daughter was always delighted when I read this story because of all the silly words in it.Which brings us to the unsung gem at the end of "The Sneetches and Other Stories": the tale "What Was I Afraid Of?" Dealing with a child's fear of the unknown, this spooky little tale resolves itself sweetly, and I really enjoy the way Dr. Seuss shows a child that perhaps with a bit of determination, one might find that one's fears and anxieties really aren't so bad after all. The fact that the main character is afraid of a pair of green pants is silly enough that a child can instantly grasp that there are reasonable fears...and then there are unreasonable ones.Whatever stories you choose to read, read to your child. You will see a huge difference in their learning, because you took the time to be with them and encouraged them. I loved The Sneetches and Other Stories because its lessons to me are the sorts of things every child should learn about dealing with others and with themselves.

This book is the best. Every story is so entertaining and has such great moral lessons to be learned for little ones.

This book was a childhood favorite of mine. I highly enjoy sharing these stories with my children. The kids love it!

I have been reading this tomy kids and grandkids and now great great grandson since 1982. love the rhyme and silliness. wonderful stori9es

I love reading this to the grandkids.

The poem "Too Many Daves" within the book is hilarious. I read this with my son when he was a toddler (he is 53 now). We had many laughs over this story & he can still recite many of the funny names the "Daves" should have been called. I gave this book to his daughter-in-law at her baby shower (for his soon to be grandson). I know mom & boy will love it.