The now remorseful Once-ler--our faceless, bodiless narrator--tells the story himself. Long ago this enterprising villain chances upon a place filled with wondrous Truffula Trees, Swomee-Swans, Brown Bar-ba- loots, and Humming-Fishes. Bewitched by the beauty of the Truffula Tree tufts, he greedily chops them down to produce and mass-market Thneeds. ("It's a shirt. It's a sock. It's a glove. It's a hat.") As the trees swiftly disappear and the denizens leave for greener pastures, the fuzzy yellow Lorax (who speaks for the trees "for the trees have no tongues") repeatedly warns the Once-ler, but his words of wisdom are for naught. Finally the Lorax extricates himself from the scorched earth (by the seat of his own furry pants), leaving only a rock engraved "UNLESS." Thus, with his own colorful version of a compelling morality play, Dr. Seuss teaches readers not to fool with Mother Nature. But as you might expect from Seuss, all hope is not lost--the Once-ler has saved a single Truffula Tree seed! Our fate now rests in the hands of a caring child, who becomes our last chance for a clean, green future. (Ages 4 to 8)

Product Description
"UNLESS someone like you...cares a whole awful lot...nothing is going to get better...It's not."

Long before saving the earth became a global concern, Dr. Seuss, speaking through his character the Lorax, warned against mindless progress and the danger it posed to the earth's natural beauty.

"The big, colorful pictures and the fun images, word plays and rhymes make this an amusing exposition of the ecology crisis."—School Library Journal. Illus. in full color.

The story is narrated by the "bad guy" of the story, the Once-ler. The Once-ler is a business man who comes to a beautiful land full of wonderful creatures and more importantly-at least as far as the Once-ler is concerned-truffula trees. The Once-ler starts chopping down the truffula trees so he can make their tufts into thneeeds (which everyone needs).

The Lorax is a small furry creature that springs from one of the truffula tufts. The Lorax, like a prophet of old, warns the Once-ler about the dangers of what he is doing. He stays with the Once-ler as the surrounding ecosystem falls apart and dies. The Lorax also leads the animals in his care to other lands where they can be safe from the tribulations caused by the Once-ler's greed. As the Once-ler's destruction of the area becomes almost complete, the Lorax literally lifts himself out of the situation-leaving only a stone engraved with one word: "UNLESS".

The story begins and ends years later. The Once-ler sits in his tower all alone; he is rich but saddened and remorseful. His narration begins when a traveler comes to visit him and ask him about the story of the "lifted Lorax". His narration, and the story, ends with the Once-ler explaining the "UNLESS" left on the stone. The Once-ler says that the "UNLESS" means that unless somebody cares a whole awful lot, the things that have gone wrong will never be put right. The Once-ler then gives his visitor the last truffula seed and says that what happens next is up to him.

Dr Seuss' message about the environment is both powerful and personal. I believe that both Seuss' condemnation of the way things are going and his call for deeper caring about the environment still ring true today. We need to heed that call in both words and deeds. We humans are called to be stewards of creation. However, I also believe that Seuss's book points to something else we should keep in mind. Romans 8:19-22 says:

"For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now."

Our failure as stewards probably has a lot to do with our fallen nature. We are not as God intends us to be. The only way that we, as fallen beings, can ever heed Dr. Seuss' eloquent call is through the grace and power of our merciful Creator who loves both the creature and the creation.

I recommend this book. Buy it, but don't just read it...think about it.


Is this book Dangerous? A Review of Dr. Seuss's The Lorax   October 12, 2001
 15 out of 15 found this review helpful

Dr. Seuss's The Lorax is a fantastic story by one of the most lovable, creative children's books authors ever. In the story, Seuss presents a statement concerning the environment in his own original way. Of course, the book would not be complete without those witty rhymes and colorful illustrations. The Lorax "speaks for the trees" and tries to save the Truffula trees from the greedy Once-ler. The Lorax protects the trees and all the creatures that inhabit them. When the Once-ler comes and desires to cut down the Truffula trees, the Lorax tries to stop him, but he fails. The Once-ler cuts down every last Truffula tree, pollutes the environment, and drives all the creatures, including the Lorax, off the land. The story does end on a positive note, but to learn what it is, you must read the book for yourself.
Because The Lorax was first published in 1971, it is easy to believe that the story is referring directly to the environmental movement of the 1960's. The story clearly illustrates the themes of conservation, love, and respect for the land. The author grabs the reader's attention in the beginning of the story by starting in the future and then narrating the past. The reader sees the death and bareness of the land first and then learns the causes for the current state of the environment. Seuss approaches the subject in a blunt and obvious critique of the methods used to strip resources from the land. This story sends a simple, yet powerful statement about the world in which we live.
Because of the book's strong message concerning the environment (clear-cutting forests in particular,) this children's book has found itself on the Banned Books List. The reason is simple. Several logging companies feel threatened by the book and its message. They are afraid of people reading the book and making the great discovery that clear-cutting is bad for the environment! I believe that if this book has been placed on the Banned Book List, then the goal of the story has been achieved. The entire purpose of this book was not just to make kids laugh but to point out that clear-cutting is a serious problem. We, as humans, are trashing the environment. Sometimes the message is the most effective when it is reduced to its simplest form. In the future, this problem will rest in the hands of our children and educating children will help them make better choices than previous generations have.


Seuss's eco-fable   December 10, 2006
 15 out of 17 found this review helpful

The good doctor has always been one for a message, and this one comes through with uncommon bluntness: it's pretty easy to screw up the environment, and you get plenty of warning before it's too late. Anyone sufficently blinded by greed will just go ahead, though, until they ruin everything - even the sources of their own wealth.

Here, in the America of Pres. Bush II, the issues are even more vivid than they were 35 years ago when this was written. Maybe your kid will get the message. One can only hope.

//wiredweird