Simon and Garfunkel once said “I’ve got nothing to do today but smile.” We don’t know if Dr. Seuss heard this quote or not, but based on Hop on Pop we're betting he was on board with the sentiment. This book is brimming with furry, warm, and smiling creatures doing all sorts of activities that make them, well, happy. The happiness from the illustrations is enhanced by the spirit of the words, too. The internal rhyme in the sentences gives the poetic part of the book a frolicking quality. Then all that warm fuzzies rub off on the reader as they swoop through the pages. And if there’s one thing that helps with language acquisition, it’s the association of happiness with the reading experience.
Questions and Answers
Q: Did you notice almost everyone in this book is smiling?
A: Indeed. They seem to be pretty happy doing what they’re doing. Even the small guys seem to be happy in being small (7.3).
Q: Why do you suppose the dad is so sad?
A: The poem says he had a bad day. Can’t imagine what happen to
him to give him that deep of a frown though.
Q: Think he’ll be happy later?
A: Well, Dr. Seuss once said, “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” Something tells me that, since he's Seuss's creation, the sad dad will figure that one out.
Q: What activity from the book would make you happy to do?
A: I’d like to play a game of that wall ball. I also enjoy reading words like Timbuktu. What about you?