Seussville

This part of Seussville is most famous for its signature dish, the notorious green eggs and ham platter. In spite of the, um, restrictive dining options, we are huge fans. After all, in this part of Seussville, motion is mandatory. Here, you must live life! Here, you must seize the ham (before the ham seizes you)!

When you do visit this part of Seussville, take out plenty of insurance and pack your snorkeling gear. Things get crazy—and a little wet—as you are mercilessly pursued by Sam (with ham) and forced to travel through surreal landscapes where hills turn from red to yellow in the blink of a ham.

In the Dark

Say!
In the dark?
Here in the dark!
Would you, could you, in the dark? (85-88)

Seuss really knows how to make darkness appealing. With his descriptions and illustrations, we feel like we, too, are inside the tunnel in a car on top of a train. (Been there, done that, right?) What a nice contrast to all the brightness we've been seeing.

Are we scared? No. Except for the eggs, the ham, and the black outlines and shading, everything here is an exciting, yet soothing shade of blue. What's to be scared of?

The big guy isn't scared either. From the look on his face, he's too busy denying the eggs and ham to even notice where he is. If your little ones are afraid of the dark, we suggest you spend a little time on this page.

Water, Water, Everywhere/ And Not a Ham to Drink

Green Eggs and Ham mentions "rain" (92, 93) and a "boat" (112, 113) but we're never told that a huge chunk of the book (111-147) is set on and in the ocean. But this setting helps give the book its splashy, bright, fun water-park feel. After all, the big guy finally gives in to the ham after he, Sam, and the ham are plunged underwater (128-129).

When they come to the surface, the big guy says, "Sam!/ If you will let me be,/I will try them. You will see" (125-138). He actually starts in on the food while he's still in the water. After that, he's hooked. The whole water experience can easily be seen as the big guy's baptism into the great church of green eggs and ham.