Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

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Figure 1. Green Eggs and Ham book cover (2019).

Evaluation of Book

A brilliant book by Dr. Seuss, Green Eggs and Ham tells the story of Sam trying to convince an unnamed, older gentleman to try green eggs and ham. And though the gentleman holds out for the majority of the book, he finally relents, tries the food, and loves it. In fact, the older gentleman genuinely seems happy after he tries the food and also seems to appreciates Sam.

Dr. Seuss’ use of musical language makes this book fun to read. The rhyming and repetition of words allow the reader and listener to guess the next words and how to pronounce them. And because of the repetition of words, younger children feel more comfortable reading it. Also, the storyline of Sam trying to help the older gentleman try something new to see if he likes it by suggesting he eat the food in very unlikely places adds to the silliness and fun of the musical language.

The illustrations in Green Eggs and Ham define and develop the characters. First, Dr. Seuss used primary colors of red and yellow to show off Sam’s youth. This character also smiles and seems jovial throughout most of the book. In contrast, the unnamed, older gentleman has a washed-out yellow body and black and white hat. Plus, his facial expressions and body language makes him look angry until he finally tries the food. However, once he tries the food, the older gentleman’s face glows with happiness and he relaxes. The transformation shown in the pictures tells it all.

Another great thing about the illustrations is how they reinforce the text. When the text says an item, the picture for the page shows said item. This helps the reader know what the text says while also entertaining the reader. And since the colors pop for the items mentioned while also showing motion and providing ample white space, the reader understands if someone just snapped their fingers, a train just sailed down a track, or the items are stationary. In other words, the pages are not too busy which allows the reader to see the pictures clearly, also adding to the text.

Response

While re-reading Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss, I learned more about the text and how it reflects my experiences in life. My parents always forced me to try new things, including food. And while I often balked at first, I would try it in the end. However, if I was in a bad mood, like the unnamed, older gentleman, then I would say I did not like it no matter what. But now that I am older, I am more willing to admit when I am wrong, just like the character in the book. Therefore, the text agrees with my views of the world. That while older people are often set in their ways, they can admit mistakes and grow. And I re-learned that younger people can be right about many things. This book reminded me that I need to be open to what my son and students think and want me to try. And if we all work together, we can all be happy in the end.

Conclusion

Green Eggs and Ham is a great book for people that love rhyming books that are silly. The story is comical, with colorful pictures that reinforce the text, and the repetition of the words make it an easy read. Out of four stars, I give this book four.

Citation

Seuss, Dr. (1960). Green eggs and ham. New York, NY: Beginner Books.

Willis, C. (2019). Green eggs and ham book cover (photo). Retrieved March 15, 2019 from https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lrcS4kEvu_dqeoJ6qefCBTeMkR8h7WWQ/view?usp=sharing