Seuss on the Loose

Since Amy has really started reading, a whole new world has opened up to her. She is anxious to get up on her top bunk every night and read to herself, or to someone else if they are available. Subsequently, all of the fine literature she reads is subject to her literary analysis. This can be quite enlightening. So it was, that a few nights ago, I was privileged to gain valuable new insights into the popular Dr. Seuss masterpiece, "Green Eggs and Ham."

Once we got past the discussion on what possible kind of a doctor Dr. Seuss could be, and the shocking revelation that Dr. Seuss was not the true name of the author (aka. Theodore Geisel), Amy was able to begin her critique of Seuss' character development. Right off the bat, she was disturbed that while Sam waltzes about carrying signs that reveal his identity, we never know the name of the poor tormented creature that refuses the green eggs and ham. "I feel sorry for him, " Amy commented. "First of all, he has no name. No name at all. None. And then, I think he has a lot of work to do. Sam is really distracting him. It's not very nice."

As the story continued, Amy interrupted her narration several times to provide further insights:

"Now seriously, if he didn't want to eat green eggs and ham in a box, why would he want to eat them with a fox? Why would you want to eat anything with a fox?"

"You know what? I don't think green eggs and ham could be very good. Because when they are in the dark like that, if it was good food, the fox and the mouse would have eaten it all up themselves."

"Rain. Train. Hey Mom, did you even notice that there are rhyming words in this book?"

At one point after one of the very long lists of ill-fated locations for consuming green eggs and ham, she confided quietly to me, "I don't think Sam is very smart. He just doesn't get it."

With the plot thickening, and before the whole motley crew goes careening off of the train track into the river, I attempted to employ one of those teaching techniques you are supposed to try when reading with a young child. I prompted, "Hmm..I wonder what will happen next?" before she turned the page.

"What?" Amy whispered at me, in total disbelief, as if I had offended the characters in the book or something. "You don't know? He does try it, he really does. And he says he likes it, only (she leaned in closer) I think he's just kidding so that Sam will go away. He's kind of annoying."

Then she added with a wink, "Believe me, Mom...I've read this before."

Well, if the Cat in the Hat had been there himself, I couldn't have had a more enjoyable time. So, no matter what, find a cute kid, grab a good Seuss, and cuddle up together to READ! I promise it will be fun.