At the far end of town
where the Grickle-grass grows
and the wind smells slow-and-sour when it blows
and no birds every sing excepting old crows…
is the Street of the Lifted Lorax.
And so begins the sing-song rhythmic read of The Lorax. Do you remember this book? The pictures of the colorful and fluffy Truffula Trees. That is until The Old Once-ler came round, and decided he need to chop the trees down (intentional rhyme) 😛
Then the Lorax showed up to speak for the trees, he said do not cut them I am asking you please!
(Ok… now I can’t stop so I am just going to go with it)
The Lorax tried to stop the factory that was built, but progress was already moving full tilt!
With no more trees the Bar Ba Loots had nothing to eat, but really its just business so sadly they retreat.
As the story goes the end came at last, with no trees and no animals all was in the past…
Yet one seed did remain and plant it we must, for the future is ours and to us it must trust.
I checked this out from the library for banned book week. This book just brings back the memories of all sorts of Seuss moments, and while this is not one of the big names I remember (Cat In The Hat, One Fish, Two Fish, Hop On Pop…) it is one that does hold a message.
I just loved reading it again!
Why was The Lorax a banned book?
The Lorax was banned because it was felt to cast a negative look on the forestry industry.
In 1989, the Laytonville, CA Unified School District tried to do just that. They challenged the book based on someone’s belief that it criminalizes the foresting industry.
I borrowed this book from my local library

I had no idea this book was banned! It’s always been my all-time favorite Seuss book, and I remember watching the movie in elementary school.
I havent seen the movie Anna but I would like too.
The book wasn’t “banned”. It was challenged. The book has remained on the reading list of the school.
Talk about ridiculous reasons to ban a book! Dr. Seuss is an institution…how can he be banned? GRRR….
I love the Seuss stories…they always make me grin, and the little ones love listening.
Right Laurel! I would have never thought of this as a book that promoted anything bad…. I love trees. 😀
Always loved Dr. Seuss.
Me too Mary Ann!
Gotta love Dr. Seuss!
Totally Hannah! 😀
I love this book! My chin as dropped in regards to the reason why it’s been banned, though. Talk about trying to silence any opposing viewpoints
I know, right? When I seen it on the banned books list I had to be a rebel and check it out form the library 😀
So the forestry department got mad because the Lorax made them look bad…. Good Grief! What a reason to ban a book…. I love this one!
Deb you have the start here to your own Dr Suess rhyme….. keep going I like your first line:
So the forestry department got mad,
because the Lorax made them look bad
😛
I love this book, and just about everything Dr. Seuss has ever written, for that matter. And it makes the logging industry look bad, eh? If they have a bad reputation, it’s because they’re not logging sustainably.
It is a great book. I think it is a good message about taking care of our resources. 😀
I really like this book too. I also like Oh The Places You Will Go. 🙂
Oh yeah Brittanie – I forgot about that one!
Seems kind of silly this book was banned.
My favorite book as a child was “Are You My Mother” by P.D. Eastman
I forgot about that one Vicki – good pick! 😀
I love the Lorax, although it’s not my favorite of Seuss’s – a little too preachy,
I like the trees Carol – they are fun 😀
What I love about this book is the message it sent, years before it was a popular subject, that we cannot abuse our natural resources.
Great point Lisa – I thought it was fabulously done and I am so surprised that some took offense to this book that tells us to protect our resources, don’t get greedy and remember to replenish (planting…) what we use. 😀
I’m so excited this will be the next banned book I read. Thanks for the review!
Oh good Kimberly – enjoy 😀
Wow! I am sometimes just TOO surprised at the books that are challenged and/or banned! What the heck?!? I remember reading this to all of my bebes and I will probably end up reading it to the grandbebes too!
Julie @ Knitting and Sundries
Yup…. most of the books that are banned surprise me. 😀
Great article. My class really enjoyed reading it for our blog article day this week. Last week we read this article about Dr. Seuss that we liked as well.
http://www.thefreeresource.com/dr-suess-biography-quotes-books-and-poems-and-resources-about-his-life
Bre Matthews
YAY bre!
People get on my nerves . They find some reason to complain about something , really banning a book? A childrens book at that ! And forestry is bad , cutting all those trees down I mean ? Wow ppl amuse me ,
LOL – Genoo – there all all sorts of banned childrens books…. I plan to read a whole weeks worth again next Banned Books week 🙂