The title is a line from my favorite Dr. Seuss book, Horton Hears a Who. Horton, an elephant living and playing in the Jungle of Nool, is called upon by the Whos, who live on a miniscule planet, to protect them. Even though they are so tiny that they can’t be seen by the naked eye, Horton can hear them because he has large elephant ears. He agrees to protect them because, after all, “a person is a person no matter how small”.
Poor Horton is ridiculed and caged by the other animals in the jungle for believing in something they cannot see or hear. The Whos all gather together to create more volume so the other animals can hear them and realize they exist. In the end, when Horton’s neighbors realize he had been telling them the truth, they agree to help him protect the Whos and their planet.
The story teaches faith in ourselves and compassion for our neighbors, a lesson Dr. Seuss learned, himself, just after WWII during the American post-war occupation of Japan, when he was able to let go of his animosity toward that country.
Dr. Seuss, Theodor Seuss Geisel, by his death in 1991, had written 44 children’s books. Prior to becoming an award-winning author, he had also, in his vast career, created advertising campaigns, political cartoons, wrote magazine articles and he was an illustrator. His success shall always be an inspiration to me.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DR. SEUSS!!
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