Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

    



    One of my favorite books from my early childhood was Green Eggs and Ham by Dr Suess. It was also one of my class's favorites and my kindergarten teacher read it on numerous occasions during our read-aloud times. It is a classic book for young children and is very simple and easy to read. It also includes many engaging pictures that are fun to follow along with. Not only is this a fun book, but it also includes valuable lessons.

     One of my favorite parts about this book has always been the pictures because of the unique and recognizable style of Dr. Seuss's illustrations. Dr Seuss's illustrations in this book feature various whimsical and eccentric characters and objects which make it more attractive to young children paired with the interesting fantastical plots. For example, something as simple as a tree or boat is transformed into a different shape or form, that it still recognizable to what it's supposed to be, but is more fun and creative. The bold motion lines also make it look like everything is moving as you read which brings the illustrations alive. Also, all of the illustrations have a very simple style with the use of bright colors which make it particularly eye-catching and appealing to young readers. In this book, Dr. Suess has a very distinct style which is very expressive and really tells the story without the need for words. Not only are the illustrations engaging, but the poetry is fun to read. It’s pretty simple which makes it easier for younger audiences and the rhyming makes it more fun and interesting. Not only do the rhymes make it more engaging, but they can also help young children learn how to spell and read by connecting how the different words and sounds are similar.

    In addition to being consistently amusing, this book displays many important lessons. Some of the lessons shown are that you should always keep an open mind and try new things. You shouldn’t be quick to judge something that you’ve never tried because you never know what you may be missing out on. In Green Eggs and Ham, the protagonist (whose name is not clear) insists that he does NOT like green eggs and ham no matter where they are or what they are doing. Whatever the situation is, the protagonist makes it clear he will NEVER like green eggs and ham even though he has never tried it. Sam-I-am though does not take no for an answer and is very persistent. He is determined to get the protagonist to try the green eggs and ham no matter how many times the protagonist says no. Sam-I-am continues to ask if the protagonist will like the green eggs and ham in a random situation. For example, Sam-I-am asks, “Would you eat them in a box? Would you eat them with a fox?” But as usual, the protagonist says no, “Not in a box. Not with a fox. Not in a house. Not with a mouse. I would not eat them here or there. I would not eat them anywhere. I would not eat green eggs and ham. I do not like them Sam-I-am.” This type of style continues throughout the entire book where in the end, Sam-I-am’s determination pays off and the protagonist finally agrees to try the green eggs and ham, so Sam-I-am will leave him alone. When the protagonist tries the green eggs and ham, he is surprised because he liked them very much, “They are so good, so good, you see! So I will eat them in a box. And I will eat them with a fox. And I will eat them in a house. And I will eat them with a mouse. And I will eat them here and there. Say! I will eat them ANYWHERE! I do so like green eggs and ham! Thank you! Thank you, Sam-I-am!” This also shows that never giving up is important if you want to achieve your goals and overcome difficult challenges. It is important to persevere no matter how hard it may seem because in the end it will pay off.


    Though, After reading this book recently, I realized it can bring up some problematic ideas depending on how you read it. For example, it shows readers that it's okay to ignore boundaries because Sam-I-am is very persistent even though the protagonist constantly says no. It can also give a message that you should just give in to make someone stop instead of being firm on your decision. The protagonist is not comfortable trying the green eggs and ham, but Sam-I-am ignores his choice and continues to persist. This book can be interpreted and viewed in completely different ways which shows that even simple children's books can have mixed messages depending on how they are read.


  


-Jehan


Comments

  1. Jiya BorgaonkarDecember 13, 2025 at 6:19 PM

    I really liked this post! I thought it was cool how you talked about Dr. Seuss’s art style and why it’s so fun for kids. Your take on the mixed messages in Green Eggs and Ham, especially about boundaries, was interesting and made me think more about the story.

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