Bookshop
1. The Lorax
ISBN: 978-0-394-82337-9
Author: Dr. Seuss
“Unless someone like you…cares a whole awful lot…nothing is going to get better…It’s not.”
Review:
Long before saving the earth became a global concern, Dr. Seuss, speaking through his character the Lorax, warned against mindless progress and the danger it posed to the earth’s natural beauty. It was written in 1971 on the heels of forest industry bad press on environmental issues unfolding in the United States’ Pacific Northwest dealing with the Northern spotted owl and the health of coastal redwoods and Douglas firs. It influenced children’s (and parents) environmental perceptions for decades. Possibly Dr. Seuss’ most controversial work, The Lorax has become a popular metaphor for those concerned about the human impact on the environment. The children’s book consists of an argument between two creatures, the tree-loving Lorax and the money-loving Once-ler who makes Thneeds from truffula trees. Several timber industry groups sponsored the creation of a book called The Truax in rebuttal to the Seuss book. The Lorax was actually banned in some schools and libraries in regions with timber economies for its anti-forest industry content. It is a fantastic and colourfull story, with a simple message and I am sure will be loved for generations to come.
