A couple of weeks ago our pediatrician made the suggestion that it would be helpful for Hebrew language acquisition if the older kids would read Dr. Seuss books (in Hebrew) to the younger ones, and she wrote the title of her very favorite book down on the prescription slip she handed me – Oh the Places You’ll Go.
I had read this book several years ago and been very taken by the depth of it then, and thought about posting my thoughts at that time but never did. In general I think Dr. Seuss is a genius – we currently have a compilation of his longer stories that we checked out from the local public library (they have a small English language section), and every time I read about them – about Horton (power of commitment when no on around you agrees with you or sees what you know to be true), the Sneetches (those who judge themselves as better or worse based on externals), the Zax (when people are stubbornly entrenched in their positions and refuse to budge at a loss to themselves) – I think about what a deep understanding his books reflect of human nature.
But Oh, The Places You’ll Go tops all of these. Though children enjoy the catchy syntax and colorful pictures, it really is more like an understanding of life than a child’s story. I found the following version being read aloud with some sound effects, and listened to it several times after this recent reminder. It’s so true that it made me smile wryly and feel inspired and feel like crying all during six minutes. 🙂
Here’s a link to the lyrics, if you’d like to read them – enjoy! There’s a lot to be gained from it, whether you’re feeling on top of the world or going through hard times.
What do you think of Dr. Seuss books? Have you ever read this particular book, and if so, what did you think of it?
Avivah
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