The Lorax

     I've always loved the book.  In fact, I thought it was one of the lesser known Seuss books so I always felt a little ownership to it.  When Elijah was 2 1/2, we brought the book home from our public library. Let me start by saying it was a faded, dirty, 1971 copy of the book (see pic).  Terrible shape.  Not sure how often Pearland Library weeds its books.

Anyway, without us knowing, Elijah ripped up 20 of the 70 pages (see pic).  How we didn't recognize that he was up to something, I'll never know.  It had to have taken a good long while.  After the initial shock, that my own flesh and blood would destroy a library copy (cue fainting music), we decided we could put it back together. With great determination, Kenny taped every last puzzle piece of paper.  He really did.  With great skill.

We didn't know what the librarian would say, but we had to make a valiant effort.  We returned to the library and always looking for a lesson to teach, made Elijah walk up to the counter and apologize for what he did.  And he did it, though very quietly.  But, it must have been his cute face that caused the clerk to smile, dismiss the book, and tell us not to worry about it.  I asked if we could keep it, and keep it we did.  We read out of it tonight.

Because tonight we went to see the movie.  I almost didn't get to see it.  I was meeting Kenny and the kids who had already made there way in and were saving me a seat.  But, when I got there it was sold out. SOLD OUT! I couldn't believe it.  Not even opening weekend.  But remember, it's a rainy Spring break day.  After much texting with Kenny, who also had my Chick-Fil-A tortilla soup with him, and much perseverance,  (I went through the line two more times asking if just ONE seat was open), the wonderful Pearland Cinema 6 worker, let me in.  Love her. I missed the first 10 minutes, but I made it.  And it was great fun.  Very true to Seuss.  Same message:  Don't kill trees and other consumerism kind of things.   Of course 70 pages of mostly picture book isn't enough to make an 1 1/2 movie, so  they added lots of new details. Great details. But ones that Lanie could not find in the book tonight (it was her first read) and that really brought on the questions.  Why can't we see the Oncler in the book?  Where is the part when his bed goes in the water?  Where is the little bear? Where is the girl? She even said, "I like the movie better." Or maybe that was Lydia, or Elijah, I"m not sure.

With book remakes this good, it becomes increasingly harder to demonstrate to my kids why the books are better.  If they were old enough to watch "Where the Wild Things Are", then I could point out where the book trumps the movie.  But often, my "They just are" doesn't always cause waves.  But I stand tall and explain that without the creative books, without Seuss and his silliness,  truffula trees, barba-loots and the Thneed wouldn't have been invented.  So, there. 

That's all I got.  Seriously, though -- the Lorax is great if barba-loots breaking out into song is your kind of thing.  It's definitely my kind of thing.