How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

The Grinch is a miserable Scrooge-like creature who despises all the noise and fun had by all the Whos down in Who-ville on Christmas day. So he devises an evil plan to steal all the Christmas decorations, presents, and food from each Who family's home. But he learns that Christmas is more than what comes from a store ...

Although my uncle recently quipped that this book should be more aptly named "How the Grinch Tried to Steal Christmas," this Dr. Seuss title - and the attendant animated television special - has been a favorite of mine since childhood. I was pleased to share it with my 4-year-old niece this holiday season so that she could come to love it also. (She already expressed a lot of interest in Dr. Seuss's books and had show more previously noted that The Cat in the Hat is her favorite.)

How the Grinch Stole Christmas features a lot of typical Dr. Seuss elements, such as rhyming text, some made-up words, and imaginary creatures. Yet despite all the nonsensical elements, it contains more than enough recognizable parts for children - and adults - to be able to make connections with their own lives. While its message is not hammered over the reader's head ad nauseam, I love that this book highlights how Christmas is not about the shallow materialism of acquiring more stuff at the expense of others.

If this book isn't already a part of your holiday traditions with your young children (whether that be grandchildren, nieces and nephews, what have you), it should be. This is certainly one of those titles that deserves the moniker of "classic." show less

Some fictional characters are so ubiquitous, their stories so well-known, that their very names serve as a sort of cultural short-hand. Cinderella - that archetype of the rags-to-riches story - comes immediately to mind, in this respect. When we refer to something as a "Cinderella Story," we expect to be understood, without need of further elaboration. In much the same way, calling someone a Grinch, at least amongst the younger Americans of my acquaintance, immediately conjures - with that word alone - the impression of someone who, to put it mildly, is lacking in the holiday spirit. Someone so mean-spirited that they don't just loathe Christmas themselves, they begrudge others the happiness of the season. That this name - the "Grinch" show more - now functions in such a fashion, is a testament to the success of Dr. Seuss's book, and his immense influence on American culture.

Like so many other Dr. Seuss titles, I read How the Grinch Stole Christmas countless times as a child, and had it memorized long before I was even aware of the television adaptation. (Although there is no denying that the song, You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch!, now plays in my head, when reading the book). The amazing illustrations - done in black and white, with accents in red and pink - are perfectly matched by the rollicking text, which is an absolute delight to read aloud:

Then he slid down the chimney. A rather tight pinch.
But, if Santa could do it, then so could the Grinch.
He got stuck only once, for a moment or two.
Then he stuck his head out of the fireplace flue.
Where the little Who stockings all hung in a row.
"These stockings," he grinned, "are the first things to go!"

The process whereby this decided anti-hero, with his heart two sizes too small, comes to realize that Christmas "doesn't come from a store. / Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more," makes for an entertaining and heartwarming holiday read. One with enough true nastiness to satisfy the reader, adult or child, who finds the holidays annoying, and a sufficiently happy ending to please those who love the season. As always: no small achievement, Dr. Seuss!

Addendum: I reread How the Grinch Stole Christmas! today (April 17th, 2021) as part of my current Dr. Seuss retrospective, in which I am reading and reviewing all forty-four of his classic picture-book, in chronological publication order. This is a project I have undertaken as an act of personal protest against the suppression of six of the author/artist's titles - And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, McElligot's Pool, If I Ran the Zoo, Scrambled Eggs Super!, On Beyond Zebra! and The Cat's Quizzer - by Dr. Seuss Enterprises, due to the outdated and potentially offensive elements that they contain. See my review of And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, to be found HERE, for a fuller exploration of my thoughts on that matter.

In any case, my analysis of this book remains the same, and I continue to find it practically perfect, both from a storytelling and an artistic perspective. The message it imparts about the true meaning of Christmas is as relevant as ever, and the humanity is displays, in its depiction of the villain and his reform, as necessary as ever. Just a wonderful, wonderful book! show less

As a mom who's watched my kids' eyes light up every December with this story, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" is hands-down one of our most cherished holiday reads! Dr. Seuss captures the perfect balance of playful mischief and heartwarming moments as we follow the grumpy Grinch trying to steal Christmas from the joyful Whos down in Who-ville - and my kids absolutely love making their own Grinch faces during storytime. The message that Christmas "doesn't come from a store" hits especially close to home as a parent trying to teach my little ones that the holidays are about more than just presents, and I love how this book sparks conversations about kindness and community with my children. The rhyming text and classic illustrations keep show more my kids totally engaged, while the Grinch's heart growing three sizes brings happy tears to my eyes every time - plus, my kids now adorably say "roast beast" instead of "roast beef" at dinner during the holidays! show less

How The Grinch Stole Christmas! has a loose parallel to Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, where Scrooge takes the form of the Grinch, perhaps Tiny Tim is little Cindy-Lou Who, and the Grinch reaches his epiphany not through visitations in the night from three ghosts, but through listening to the community of Whos singing, despite having lost everything, all of their possessions, all of their food. Bah humbug turns to joy to the world in each.

Yes, there is evil in this world, evil that will steal from children, and lie to them. What could be more evil to a child than an anti-Santa Claus that instead of bringing presents, takes them? On the other hand, people can change, and it’s never too late. Love and goodwill can overcome long-standing show more grouchiness, er, grinchiness. And despite the joy of new toys, “things” are not the meaning behind Christmas.

The lyrics flow so beautifully throughout this book, and while reading it to kids, I’ve always felt like I was almost singing by following the cadence of the words.

I also love the artwork. Go get your copy (If you don’t have one, go buy one. Immediately), and have a look “Grinchy Claus” entering the chimney of stop number one. Brilliant, absolutely brilliant.

And I still get a tingly reading this page, even as an atheist: “Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small, was singing! Without any presents at all! He HADN’T stopped Christmas from coming! IT CAME! Somehow or other, it came just the same!” … followed by, of course, the Grinch’s heart growing three sizes and redeeming himself.

The collaboration with Chuck Jones (the genius behind many of the Loony Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons) to make the animated special narrated by Boris Karloff that airs each holiday season, was also genius, and a real treat to watch every year while growing up. show less

A mean green man lives in the mountains and does not like the Christmas cheer in the nearby village so he decides to do something about it.

I have some real problems with over-exposure of The Grinch. I don’t like the cartoon, or the many Jim Carrey movies, or the stage production, or having to look at his face everywhere. But you know what? This book undeniably slaps. It’s such a simple, good story.

My first exposure to “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” was not via the book but via the classic cartoon. Try as I might, I never quite understood how the Grinch’s heart suddenly grew three sizes larger. It was too easy! Plus the Grinch scared the little me. Admittedly, I didn’t grow up speaking English or celebrating Christmas, which is sort of like missing the context. Not having spent any brain cells on this over the years, I grew up, learned more about the true meaning of Christmas (vs. the commercialism), and for the first time, opened and read this book.

I smiled.
I get it now. :)

While the cartoon has its merits, there’s something demonstrative about Seuss’ art on paper: the wickedness of Grinch’s look, thoughts, and show more stealing presents from all the Who’s, especially tiny Cindy Lou (who is frankly about the size of a walking peanut), Grinch’s expression upon his realization, and his moment of dawning "Maybe Christmas…perhaps… means a little bit more!"

The story reminded me a bit of the Christmas Carol. Scrooge, Grinch, Tiny Tim, Cindy Lou. Maybe it’s on purpose, maybe not. show less

A few notes. Not being american i’d never heard of this book or Seuss, before the Jim Carrey, mini-PrettyReckless film. Which is a pretty good movie, not the biggest fan but most of the stuff they added really fills out this story well.

Hold on! One of the main reasons the Grinch hates the Whos is because of the noise.. isn’t that the plot of that animated Beowulf film they made with naked-golden-angelia-jolie-with-a-tail? (and yes that is the main thing i remember from that film.. :P ).
Grendel was sensitive to noise and the norse keggers every night drove him nuts. So that Beowulf is an adaptation of the Grinch.. thats hilarious :) .

Nimbly does not rhyme with Chimney.. oh he spelt it Chimbley... well in that case.. i hate it!, bad show more Seuss.

All of them being named Who just reminds me of Blazing Saddles where everyone in town is named Johnson (cause they’re inbred).

They eat Who-Beast, which just makes them sound like cannibals (which they probably are, due to all the inbreeding ;) ) .

That ending comes quite suddenly, the film makes that work better as you see the transition from the townsfolk from angry/sad at the missing presents to finding the meaning of christmas etc.
I've dropped a star right at the end there otherwise it would have been 4.

Edit: Ok, i've read this a couple more times now, there is something sort of hypnotic about it, i can see why it would be a yearly favourite i'm going to restore the star i took off. show less