This valley was pure and clean with life teeming throughout it.

It begins with the Once-ler's arrival at a flourishing forest of Truffula trees and many interesting animals. He arrives at the tall, winding house of the Once-ler, and pays him in exchange for his story. Vegbooks is a resource for parents and teachers who want to support the vegan and vegetarian kids in their lives.The Lorax opens as a young boy walks down away from a town on the Street of the Lifted Lorax on a polluted, empty hill. A classic that both you and your child will look forward to reading together! The only caution I would give is that the word “stupid” is used by the Once-ler, so you might want to quickly preview that with your child if that word is not normally used in your home.

The book is very friendly for vegetarian and vegan children alike. UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. ‘But now,’ says the Once-ler, ‘Now that you’re here, the word of the Lorax seems perfectly clear. Seuss is essentially handing the baton to the child reading the story. How exciting for them discover it isn’t so!Īdditionally empowering is the ending, where Dr. Kids often feel powerless in the world of grownups. Even if it is only a dollar from one’s allowance, the impact is still there. As both the Lorax and the Once-ler illustrate, what we decide to spend our money on makes an impact on the world, be it positive or negative. It can’t be helped with writing like this ( Amazon affiliate link).īut beyond the rhyme, it is a very empowering message to a child of any age. Even if you don’t consider yourself talented at read-alouds, rest assured you will sound good. The rhyme, meter, and mood of the words lend themselves beautifully to reading aloud. Years before, the Once-ler had decided to profit from the land, much to the anger of the little, furry Lorax who “speak for the trees!” Ultimately, the deforestation and smog send the creatures away in very poor health, and the Once-ler is left on his own after the Lorax finally leaves as well.Īs a third-grade teacher, I am always intrigued by the way my students (who pride themselves on reading “big kid” chapter books) become instantly quiet and mesmerized by this picture book. The Once-ler (a repentant Scrooge-like character) explains that the land was once rich with truffula trees and healthy animals. He wonders who the Lorax was and why he left. The story opens with a young boy traversing a ruined land and stumbling upon the mystery of the Lifted Lorax. Seuss’s The Lorax is one of those unique classics. A book can be called a true classic when it gets better as the years go by, much like a fine, aging wine.

The lorax story