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A Hatful of Seuss: Five Favorite Dr. Seuss Stories
This collection of five complete, illustrated Dr. Seuss classics is a "hatful," but you'd have to have a Cat-in-the-Hat-sized chapeau to contain all the treasures in this hefty book. Within its pages you'll find Theodor Seuss Geisel's exuberant creations Bartholomew and the Oobleck (1949), If I Ran the Zoo (1950), Horton Hears a Who! (1954), The Sneetches and Other Stories (1961), and Dr. Seuss's Sleep Book (1962). In Bartholomew and the Oobleck, a non-rhyming Seuss story, prepare for an eyeful of green goo. In If I Ran the Zoo, young Gerald McGrew decides he would make a few changes if he ran the zoo--including the acquisition of more unusual beasts (such as an Elephant-Cat) from places "quite out-of-the-way." In addition to the potentially unsettling concept of traversing continents in search of wild beasts to trap and cage, there are a couple of dated references that parents may want to preview before reading to kids. For example, McGrew proclaims, "I'll hunt in the mountains of Zomba-ma-Tant/With helpers who all wear their eyes at a slant,/And capture a fine fluffy bird called the Bustard/Who only eats custard with sauce made of mustard."
As for the rest of this delightful collection, Horton Hears a Who! is a tale that teaches us "a person's a person, no matter how small." And of course, you may remember the Star-Belly Sneetches, the "snooty old smarties" who pranced antagonistically in front of the Plain-Belly Sneetches, or Mrs. McCave who had 23 sons and named them all Dave. Finally, Dr. Seuss's Sleep Book is about the snortiest snorers, the curious sleepwalking Crandalls, World-Champion Sleep-Talkers, and other somnambulant types--a perfect bedtime finale to a book that could keep youngsters entertained all night. (All ages)
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 13, 1967
8 people are currently reading
394 people want to read
About the author
Dr. Seuss
973 books18.3k followersAlso wrote as Theodore Seuss Geisel, see https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Theodor Seuss Geisel was born 2 March 1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts. He graduated Dartmouth College in 1925, and proceeded on to Oxford University with the intent of acquiring a doctorate in literature. At Oxford he met Helen Palmer, who he wed in 1927. He returned from Europe in 1927, and began working for a magazine called Judge, the leading humor magazine in America at the time, submitting both cartoons and humorous articles for them. Additionally, he was submitting cartoons to Life, Vanity Fair and Liberty. In some of his works, he'd made reference to an insecticide called Flit. These references gained notice, and led to a contract to draw comic ads for Flit. This association lasted 17 years, gained him national exposure, and coined the catchphrase "Quick, Henry, the Flit!"
In 1936 on the way to a vacation in Europe, listening to the rhythm of the ship's engines, he came up with And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, which was then promptly rejected by the first 43 publishers he showed it to. Eventually in 1937 a friend published the book for him, and it went on to at least moderate success.
During World War II, Geisel joined the army and was sent to Hollywood. Captain Geisel would write for Frank Capra's Signal Corps Unit (for which he won the Legion of Merit) and do documentaries (he won Oscar's for Hitler Lives and Design for Death). He also created a cartoon called Gerald McBoing-Boing which also won him an Oscar.
In May of 1954, Life published a report concerning illiteracy among school children. The report said, among other things, that children were having trouble to read because their books were boring. This inspired Geisel's publisher, and prompted him to send Geisel a list of 400 words he felt were important, asked him to cut the list to 250 words (the publishers idea of how many words at one time a first grader could absorb), and write a book. Nine months later, Geisel, using 220 of the words given to him published The Cat in the Hat , which went on to instant success.
In 1960 Bennett Cerf bet Geisel $50 that he couldn't write an entire book using only fifty words. The result was Green Eggs and Ham . Cerf never paid the $50 from the bet.
Helen Palmer Geisel died in 1967. Theodor Geisel married Audrey Stone Diamond in 1968. Theodor Seuss Geisel died 24 September 1991.
Also worked under the pen name: Theo Le Sieg
Theodor Seuss Geisel was born 2 March 1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts. He graduated Dartmouth College in 1925, and proceeded on to Oxford University with the intent of acquiring a doctorate in literature. At Oxford he met Helen Palmer, who he wed in 1927. He returned from Europe in 1927, and began working for a magazine called Judge, the leading humor magazine in America at the time, submitting both cartoons and humorous articles for them. Additionally, he was submitting cartoons to Life, Vanity Fair and Liberty. In some of his works, he'd made reference to an insecticide called Flit. These references gained notice, and led to a contract to draw comic ads for Flit. This association lasted 17 years, gained him national exposure, and coined the catchphrase "Quick, Henry, the Flit!"
In 1936 on the way to a vacation in Europe, listening to the rhythm of the ship's engines, he came up with And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, which was then promptly rejected by the first 43 publishers he showed it to. Eventually in 1937 a friend published the book for him, and it went on to at least moderate success.
During World War II, Geisel joined the army and was sent to Hollywood. Captain Geisel would write for Frank Capra's Signal Corps Unit (for which he won the Legion of Merit) and do documentaries (he won Oscar's for Hitler Lives and Design for Death). He also created a cartoon called Gerald McBoing-Boing which also won him an Oscar.
In May of 1954, Life published a report concerning illiteracy among school children. The report said, among other things, that children were having trouble to read because their books were boring. This inspired Geisel's publisher, and prompted him to send Geisel a list of 400 words he felt were important, asked him to cut the list to 250 words (the publishers idea of how many words at one time a first grader could absorb), and write a book. Nine months later, Geisel, using 220 of the words given to him published The Cat in the Hat , which went on to instant success.
In 1960 Bennett Cerf bet Geisel $50 that he couldn't write an entire book using only fifty words. The result was Green Eggs and Ham . Cerf never paid the $50 from the bet.
Helen Palmer Geisel died in 1967. Theodor Geisel married Audrey Stone Diamond in 1968. Theodor Seuss Geisel died 24 September 1991.
Also worked under the pen name: Theo Le Sieg
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
December 31, 2022
Horton Hears A Who!
5 stars & 5/10 hearts. This book was amazing. Absolutely FULL of pro-life messages.
“Please don’t harm all my little folks, who
Have as much right to live as us bigger folks do!”
I love how dedicated Horton is to protecting the Whos, finding them again, and insisting on their voices being heard!
“A person’s a person, no matter how small!
And you very small persons will NOT have to die
If you make yourselves heard! So come on, now, and TRY!”
One of Dr. Seuss’s best books, and a message the world NEEDS to hear.
If I Ran the Zoo
3 stars & 3/10 hearts. Seuss’s books of absolute ridiculousness with no moral/message like Scrambled Eggs Super! and On Beyond Zebra! somehow don’t appeal very much to me. I get bored and lose interest halfway through. However, my siblings enjoy having the books read to them, so perhaps I’m just not the right audience. Overall, it was a fun, quick story with some good quotes.
Content: a few euphemisms.
The Sneetches:
5 stars & 5/10 hearts. The theme of The Sneetches is apparent from page one, and it is excellent. Seuss does a great job of showing how cruel, ridiculous, and useless racism is. I did not know until afterwards that this book was particularly targeted at antisemitism (hence the stars, I’m sure). The writing style is lovely and still very humorous. Really, I think this is the best of Seuss’s stories.
I’m quite happy to say
That the Sneetches got really quite smart on that day,
The day they decided that Sneetches are Sneetches,
And no kind of Sneetch is the best on the beaches.
That day, all the Sneetches forgot about stars
And whether they had one, or not, upon thars.
The Zax:
4 stars & 4/10 hearts. super short, but quite fun to read and full of quotable quotes!
Of course the world DIDN'T stand still. The world grew.
In a couple of years, a new highway came through
And they built it right over those two stubborn Zax
And left them there, standing un-budged in their tracks.
Too Many Daves:
5 stars & 5/10 hearts. Oh. My. Heart. This is SO hilarious! I never laughed so hard at anything Seuss wrote. I laughed almost too hard to keep reading, and everyone hearing it laughed too. This is pure comedic gold!
Did I ever tell you how Mrs. McCave
Had twenty-three sons, and she named them all Dave?
Well, she did. And that wasn’t a smart thing to do.
What was I Scared of?
4.5 stars & 5/10 hearts. I was super impressed about this one. What a great way to a) talk about the dangers of letting your imagination run away with you, b) discuss fear of strange things, and c) explain how important it is to actually get to know someone. An excellent little story!
And I began to see
That I was just as strange to them
As they were strange to me!
Dr. Seuss's Sleep Book
4 stars & 4/10 hearts. Such a humorous, light, funny before-bed book! My siblings and I all enjoyed it.
They do it each night. And quite often I wonder
How they do this big job without making a blunder.
But that is THEIR problem.
Not yours. And not mine.
The point is: They’re going to bed.
And that’s fine.
Bartholomew & the Oobleck
DNF because it’s magic.
5 stars & 5/10 hearts. This book was amazing. Absolutely FULL of pro-life messages.
“Please don’t harm all my little folks, who
Have as much right to live as us bigger folks do!”
I love how dedicated Horton is to protecting the Whos, finding them again, and insisting on their voices being heard!
“A person’s a person, no matter how small!
And you very small persons will NOT have to die
If you make yourselves heard! So come on, now, and TRY!”
One of Dr. Seuss’s best books, and a message the world NEEDS to hear.
If I Ran the Zoo
3 stars & 3/10 hearts. Seuss’s books of absolute ridiculousness with no moral/message like Scrambled Eggs Super! and On Beyond Zebra! somehow don’t appeal very much to me. I get bored and lose interest halfway through. However, my siblings enjoy having the books read to them, so perhaps I’m just not the right audience. Overall, it was a fun, quick story with some good quotes.
Content: a few euphemisms.
The Sneetches:
5 stars & 5/10 hearts. The theme of The Sneetches is apparent from page one, and it is excellent. Seuss does a great job of showing how cruel, ridiculous, and useless racism is. I did not know until afterwards that this book was particularly targeted at antisemitism (hence the stars, I’m sure). The writing style is lovely and still very humorous. Really, I think this is the best of Seuss’s stories.
I’m quite happy to say
That the Sneetches got really quite smart on that day,
The day they decided that Sneetches are Sneetches,
And no kind of Sneetch is the best on the beaches.
That day, all the Sneetches forgot about stars
And whether they had one, or not, upon thars.
The Zax:
4 stars & 4/10 hearts. super short, but quite fun to read and full of quotable quotes!
Of course the world DIDN'T stand still. The world grew.
In a couple of years, a new highway came through
And they built it right over those two stubborn Zax
And left them there, standing un-budged in their tracks.
Too Many Daves:
5 stars & 5/10 hearts. Oh. My. Heart. This is SO hilarious! I never laughed so hard at anything Seuss wrote. I laughed almost too hard to keep reading, and everyone hearing it laughed too. This is pure comedic gold!
Did I ever tell you how Mrs. McCave
Had twenty-three sons, and she named them all Dave?
Well, she did. And that wasn’t a smart thing to do.
What was I Scared of?
4.5 stars & 5/10 hearts. I was super impressed about this one. What a great way to a) talk about the dangers of letting your imagination run away with you, b) discuss fear of strange things, and c) explain how important it is to actually get to know someone. An excellent little story!
And I began to see
That I was just as strange to them
As they were strange to me!
Dr. Seuss's Sleep Book
4 stars & 4/10 hearts. Such a humorous, light, funny before-bed book! My siblings and I all enjoyed it.
They do it each night. And quite often I wonder
How they do this big job without making a blunder.
But that is THEIR problem.
Not yours. And not mine.
The point is: They’re going to bed.
And that’s fine.
Bartholomew & the Oobleck
DNF because it’s magic.
Read
March 15, 2015Read to me by the best; thanks Sarah!
July 23, 2019
Anyone who doesn’t love Seuss doesn’t appreciate wild creativity and unbridled playfulness.
November 18, 2023
Can Bartholomew Cubbins help the King save the kingdom from the green ooblek?
What would Gerald McGrew do if he ran the zoo?
What will happen when Horton hears a Who?
Can the Sneetches find a way to be friends?
In the County of Keck are yawns catching?
=========
Here five beloved Dr. Seuss books are brought together, offering readers young and old a delightful glimpse into the imaginative worlds of the delightful storyteller. No changes of words, no deleting of pictures . . . each story here is told exactly as it was when it was first published.
Young readers will enjoy “Bartholomew and the Ooblek” and “If I Ran the Zoo” before searching for Who-ville in “Horton Hears a Who.” Then it’s time for “The Sneetches and other stories,” including several shorter Seuss stories: “The Zax,” “Too Many Daves,” and “What Was I Scared Of?” before settling down with “Dr. Seuss’s Sleep Book.” It’s a not-to-be-missed treasury of fun.
Highly recommended.
What would Gerald McGrew do if he ran the zoo?
What will happen when Horton hears a Who?
Can the Sneetches find a way to be friends?
In the County of Keck are yawns catching?
=========
Here five beloved Dr. Seuss books are brought together, offering readers young and old a delightful glimpse into the imaginative worlds of the delightful storyteller. No changes of words, no deleting of pictures . . . each story here is told exactly as it was when it was first published.
Young readers will enjoy “Bartholomew and the Ooblek” and “If I Ran the Zoo” before searching for Who-ville in “Horton Hears a Who.” Then it’s time for “The Sneetches and other stories,” including several shorter Seuss stories: “The Zax,” “Too Many Daves,” and “What Was I Scared Of?” before settling down with “Dr. Seuss’s Sleep Book.” It’s a not-to-be-missed treasury of fun.
Highly recommended.
January 18, 2020
Dr Seuss is always a good choice! And to have multiple stories in one bookbinding is great, there is a great mix of stories in this set. Each time I read this I always find something new in the pictures. This is one of those perfect bedside books despite the size for kids on the lower side. is it storytime flip to a random story, tired from the day pick on of the shorts, want to go to sleep read the sleep book! Overall Amazing you get all these books at a lower price than bought together. If a 'hatful' is not enough then check out Six by Seuss
April 19, 2020
I loved each of these stories in this compilation book of Dr. Seuss stories. Each one has a strong beginning, middle, and ending to the story that are easy to follow along with. Instead of some of his more classic books such as Green Eggs and Ham, each of the stories in this book have more depth and a solid plot to them. There are many teachable themes in this book and I can see myself reading some of these stories to my future class. I really like the rhyme scheme that he continues to use in these stories as well. The illustrations go along well with the stories because the color choices reflect the mood of each story. Overall, I really appreciated the depth that each of these tales go to.
January 20, 2021
Nobody rhymes like Seuss! Of course, some stories are better than others. For those in this book, Dr. Seuss's Sleep Book is the best, followed by Horton Hears a Who, then If I Ran the Zoo, Sneetches and Other Stories, and Bartholomew and the Oobleck. The old Bartholomew stories are fine, but it's his later books with those wonderful rhymes where Seuss found his voice and his place in Children's literature. It was these later books that instilled in me a love for the written word.
May 31, 2017
Headline: 42-year-old reads Dr. Seuss as if for the first time. Perhaps some of these were for the first time. Poetry is OK. Stories are OK. Obviously great for kids and early readers.
November 29, 2020
At 300 pages of tongue twisters, this book totally gets to count towards my book goal!! 😂
Read
August 1, 2022My paternal Grandfather gave this to me as a gift when I was a kid. I like the story of the Sneeches best.
January 17, 2023
Cute…fun to read Dr.Seuss books that I hadn’t read before.
March 13, 2025
Every parent with a young child should own this book
Want to read
May 18, 2025Cutting is for Horton Hears a Who
By Theo Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss)
By Theo Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss)
January 1, 2017
This is a wonderful assortment of Dr. Seuss's tales. The book is a provider of much entertainment.
April 25, 2014
The story If I Ran the Zoo is about a little kid named Gerald McGrew who is visiting the zoo one day. During Gerald’s visit he finds that the animals at the zoo are not interesting enough. Gerald explains that if he ran the zoo he would have crazier animals and let all of the current animals free. During the course of the book Gerald explains these silly creatures. In the book Gerald imagines that he has the best zoo of all time and he would capture the craziest creatures of all time (including very strange creatures like giant birds from the island of Gwark). This book would be excellent for children learning about animals, teachers could encourage kids to use their creative freedom and some up with their own silly creature for the zoo. This book is incredibly creative and I really loved reading it. Some of the animals in the story are actually mind blowing (Dr. Seuss has such a wild imagination).
December 23, 2012
I really like Dr. Seuss. I love the illustrations most of all. What I love about this book is that it has so many different Dr. Seuss stories. My favorite stories to read from the book right now are Bartholomew and The Oobleck and The Star Belly Sneetches. Every time we read the word "nerd" from The Star Belly Sneetches, Papa likes to geek out on me. He tells me that this story is where the word "nerd" originated. I don't much pay attention, but Mama thinks this is an interesting fact.
After we read the stories I like to curl up with the book and slowly turn the pages. On occasion I ask Mama and Papa a question about the pictures or a part of the story I remember.
After we read the stories I like to curl up with the book and slowly turn the pages. On occasion I ask Mama and Papa a question about the pictures or a part of the story I remember.
April 29, 2015
Plot: The story If I Ran the Zoo is about a little kid named Gerald McGrew who is visiting the zoo one day. During Gerald’s visit he finds that the animals at the zoo are not interesting enough. Gerald explains that if he ran the zoo he would have crazier animals and let all of the current animals free.
Setting: Somewhere in the United States.
Characters: Gerald McGrew and various other animals.
Point-of view: Third person.
Theme: Creativity.
Style: Seussian rhyme.
Setting: Somewhere in the United States.
Characters: Gerald McGrew and various other animals.
Point-of view: Third person.
Theme: Creativity.
Style: Seussian rhyme.
September 16, 2016
When was about 9 this book had already become, easy. However, Doctor Seuss' rhymes, and elegant word smithing skills, bring back the child in all of us. There is nothing quite look hearing it read to you by a familiar soothing voice. Even reading it out loud brings a sort of childish joy back into your soul.
December 11, 2008
Yay Dr.Seuss <3
Every child needs to be brought up on Dr.Seuss stories, especially because they shadily teach some kind of moral, if you recognize it or not, while they are entertaining and delighting you.
Every child needs to be brought up on Dr.Seuss stories, especially because they shadily teach some kind of moral, if you recognize it or not, while they are entertaining and delighting you.
March 3, 2013
Fantastic book for kids! So imaginative and creative. Easy read that children will find delightful!
Dr. Seuss is always brilliant! His stories and rhymes are fun and entertaining! Some of my all time favorites!! Such a great way to entertain children and get them interested in reading!
Dr. Seuss is always brilliant! His stories and rhymes are fun and entertaining! Some of my all time favorites!! Such a great way to entertain children and get them interested in reading!
September 15, 2022
Lots of tongue twisters, laughs, spookiness and plain old fun. This collection of 'stories' provided several nights of wonderful bedtime reading.
On a re-read, this is every bit as wonderful as it was 'last year'.
On a re-read, this is every bit as wonderful as it was 'last year'.
October 9, 2007
While the others aren't necessarily my favorites, this collection does contain, in my opinion, the two best Seuss stories ever....The Sleep Book, and Too Many Daves.
March 29, 2008
a favorite
Read
December 23, 2008A Hatful of Seuss: Five Favorite Dr. Seuss Stories by Dr. Seuss (1997)
Read
January 11, 2017May 21/09 - We just tried to read Horton Hears a Who but it was too long for wee M. I like it though!
July 18, 2009
Who doesn't love Dr. Seuss!?! Includes If I Ran The Zoo, Snetches, Horton Hears a Who, Sleep Book and Bartholomew and the Oobleck
March 1, 2011
Dr.Seuss' books are always the best!
December 23, 2011
I love this book because it is like a whole book full of Dr.Seuss's best work.
February 27, 2013
I've had this collection of Seuss stories for a long time. It contains one of my favorites: The Sneeches.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews