Dr. Seuss's ABC

There was a time in my life that I could recite this book by heart. When after reading each page, I would mention a part of the accompanying illustration, and a dimpled little hand would reach out and point at it. When the sounds of letters from that little person would start with “sss” for S and a recognition of “O” as the same shape as the little bits of Cheerios cereal.

Geisel’s imagination is on full display here, and what a wonderfully wacky way to learn the alphabet, especially compared with the more traditional books which preceded him. C’mon. “O is very useful. You use it when you say: ‘Oscar’s only ostrich oiled an orange owl today.’” How can you not love this book?

Dr. Seuss’s ABC is a whimsical and rhythmic introduction to the alphabet that delights both children and adults. With his signature playful rhymes and imaginative illustrations, Dr. Seuss turns each letter into a mini adventure, from “Aunt Annie’s Alligator” to “Zizzer-Zazzer-Zuzz.” The repetitive patterns and silly alliterations make it a perfect choice for early readers who are beginning to connect sounds with letters.

I love reading this book with young learners because it sparks laughter while reinforcing letter recognition and phonemic awareness. The colorful pages and creative wordplay keep children engaged, making learning the alphabet feel like play. It’s a timeless classic that continues to make ABCs fun for show more generations of readers. show less

This is not a great early reader, but it is a fun readaloud for those learning the alphabet.

You know the format of abecedarians. Each letter is illustrated with a rhyme - it might be a sentence describing the scene (Silly Sammy Slick sipped six sodas and got sick sick sick) or a list of various items in the picture that start with the letter (Big N, little n, what begins with those? Nine new neckties, and a nightshirt, and a nose).

Very typically Seussian, really great read-aloud - neither too long nor too short.

Please note that I do not recommend the board book. They arbitrarily edited some of the rhymes (never for the better), and anyway, it's poorly constructed and likely to fall apart. Just get the real book. You'll thank me later.

This is definitely not my favourite alphabet book, but it's still a cute example of Dr. Seuss's work. It's not surprising that Seuss would tackle an alphabet book at some point in his career, since no children's book author or illustrator has done it all without one, but after reading this example it is clear that Seuss's strength lies in his narrative or pure nonsense books and the box of the alphabet doesn't quite fit. There are plenty of his trademark rhymes in the text and a few of his imaginitive beasts, but the whole set doesn't quite hit the mark for me. Maybe he wrote this book too early, before his best ideas has been thought of, but I definitely feel like he wasn't quite as inspired by the alphabetic theme.

This book tackles the alphabet with typical Seussical flair. There's no storyline, just a variety of alliterative statements for each letter of the alphabet. Like with a lot of Dr. Seuss's books, these statements include a combination of the real and the fantastic. Usually I don't mind that about Dr. Seuss, but here I find it a bit strange. Do you really want to teach children that Z is for a "Zizzer-Zazzer-Zuzz"? Maybe that's just me, but I find random choices like that one to be counterproductive. At any rate, I have found that kids do love this book, so it could just be me. It's certainly a fine addition to any library collection, it's just not my favorite Dr. Seuss.

I credit this book as the book that taught me how to read, so I will always have a warm place in my heart for Dr. Seuss' ABC (1991). It is a complicated tongue twisting take on the alphabet, and think the silly factor is what makes this such a fun read, and continues to inspire countless children to read.

Perfect for a toddlers learning their letters (ages 3-5). Great patterns and repetition, wonderful for a read-aloud. Silly pictures (as expected from Dr. Seuss). Loved by both my children (3 & 6) and a go-to bedtime book for my husband and I.