The Lorax (book)

When you open my cover, you step into a world of color and wonder. My pages are filled with bright, fluffy trees that look just like giant sticks of cotton candy. They are called Truffula Trees, and they are softer than silk. Funny little animals called Bar-ba-loots play under their shade, and Humming-Fish swim in the clear ponds. In this special place, you will meet a small, grumpy-looking orange creature with a big, bushy yellow mustache. He is the one who speaks for those who can't speak for themselves. My story is a little bit sad, but it is also very hopeful. It is a warning about what can happen, but it is also a promise of what can be. I am the story of the Truffula Trees. I am the book called The Lorax.

The man who imagined my world had a rhyming heart and a wonderful name: Dr. Seuss. His real name was Theodor Geisel, and he was a master of playful words and silly drawings. He got the idea for me because he felt frustrated. He saw real forests in the world being chopped down, and it made him sad for the animals and the Earth. He wanted to create a story that would be a powerful voice for the trees, the clean air, and the sparkling water. So, he picked up his pencils and began to draw. He sketched my fluffy Truffula Trees and the grumpy but very caring Lorax. The Lorax’s job was to protect them all. Dr. Seuss carefully chose rhyming words that would dance and sing, making my important message easy to remember. He made sure my story was not just a lecture, but an adventure. On August 12th, 1971, I was published, and my pages were sent out into the world, ready to find their way into the hands and hearts of children just like you.

My purpose has always been to plant a tiny seed of an idea in every reader's mind. When children read about the greedy Once-ler chopping down every single Truffula Tree to knit his Thneeds, they see what happens when no one speaks up for nature. The sky turns dark, the animals leave, and the beautiful world disappears. My story became a question for everyone who turned my pages: What can you do to help? I hold one of the most important messages Dr. Seuss ever wrote: 'Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.' For many years, that idea has inspired kids to plant new trees, recycle their trash, and take care of our planet. Even though my paper pages might be old, my story is always new, reminding every person who reads me that they have the power and the voice to speak for the wonderful world we all share.