Horton Hears a Who! facts for kids
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| Author | Dr. Seuss |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's literature |
| Publisher | Random House |
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Publication date
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August 12, 1954 (renewed 1982) |
| ISBN | 0-394-80078-8 |
| OCLC | 470412 |
| Preceded by | Scrambled Eggs Super! (publication date) Horton Hatches the Egg (plot and characters) |
| Followed by | On Beyond Zebra! |
Horton Hears a Who! is a popular children's book. It was written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss, whose real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel. Random House published the book in 1954.
The story is about Horton the Elephant. He goes on an amazing adventure to save a tiny world. This world, called Whoville, is on a small speck of dust. Other animals make fun of Horton and try to harm the speck. Horton works very hard to protect Whoville from danger. Like most Dr. Seuss books, it is written in a fun rhyming style.
The most famous line from the book is: "A person's a person, no matter how small." This line is also the main message Dr. Seuss wanted to share. Horton faces many challenges to keep the Whos safe. The Whos represent anyone who might feel unimportant. Horton Hears a Who! is loved in libraries, schools, and homes worldwide. The book has also been made into a TV special in 1970 and a movie in 2008. Parts of its story are also in the Broadway musical Seussical.
Contents
The Story Behind the Book
Dr. Seuss started writing Horton Hears a Who! in the fall of 1953. This was his second book about Horton the Elephant. The first one was Horton Hatches the Egg. The tiny characters called Whos also appeared later in How the Grinch Stole Christmas!.
The main idea of the book, "a person's a person no matter how small," came from Dr. Seuss's trip to Japan. He saw how important each person was there. After a big war, Dr. Seuss changed his mind about Japan. He used this book to show that people should be friendly and value everyone. He wanted to share the message that the Japanese people should be treated equally. He even dedicated the book to a Japanese friend.
Horton's Amazing Adventure
The story begins with Horton the Elephant. He is splashing in a pool when he hears a tiny voice. The voice comes from a small speck of dust! Horton believes a tiny person lives on the speck. He carefully places the speck on a clover. He promises to protect it.
Horton soon learns that the speck is a tiny planet. It is home to a community called Whoville. Microscopic creatures called Whos live there. The Mayor of Whoville asks Horton to keep them safe. Horton happily agrees. He often says, "A person’s a person, no matter how small."
Horton tries to convince the other animals in the Jungle of Nool. He wants them to understand that everyone deserves to be treated equally. But the other animals make fun of Horton. They cannot see or hear the Whos. First, a mean kangaroo and her baby criticize him. Their jumping almost knocks the speck off the clover. So, Horton decides to find a safer place for it.
News of Horton's strange behavior spreads quickly. Soon, a group of monkeys called the Wickersham Brothers bother him. They steal the clover from Horton. They give it to Vlad Vladikoff, a black-bottomed eagle. Vlad flies the clover far away. Horton chases him. Finally, Vlad drops the clover into a huge field of clovers.
Horton searches for a very long time. He finally finds the right clover with the speck on it. But the Mayor tells him that Whoville is in trouble from the fall. Horton also sees that the sour kangaroo and the Wickersham Brothers have caught up to him. They tie Horton up. They threaten to burn the speck in a pot of "Beezle-Nut" oil.
To save Whoville, Horton asks the little people to make a lot of noise. They need to prove they exist. Almost everyone in Whoville shouts, sings, and plays instruments. But still, only Horton can hear them. The Mayor searches Whoville. He finds a very small Who named JoJo. JoJo is playing with a yo-yo instead of making noise. The Mayor carries JoJo to the top of Eiffelberg Tower. JoJo shouts a loud "Yopp!"
Finally, the kangaroo and the monkeys hear the Whos! Now, they believe the Whos exist. The other jungle animals promise to help Horton protect the tiny community.
Book Style and Pictures
Horton Hears a Who! is a fictional children's book. Like most of Dr. Seuss's books, it has his usual rhyming style. It also has his special and appealing drawings. The book uses only four colors: black, white, orange, and blue. This is a bit unusual for Dr. Seuss. His other books often use many more bright colors. But his clever rhymes and unique pictures are what make his work so special.
Horton in Movies and Shows
The Movie Adaptation
Horton Hears a Who! was made into a computer-animated movie in 2008. It had the same name as the book. Blue Sky Studios created the animation. Famous actors like Jim Carrey and Steve Carell lent their voices to the characters. The movie came out on March 14, 2008. It was very popular and received many awards. It won an award from the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers.
The Stage Musical
The story of Horton Hears a Who! also helped create the 2000 Broadway musical Seussical. Horton the Elephant is the main character in the play. Seussical opened on November 30, 2000. The music was written by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, who won Tony Awards. The show ran for about six months.
The TV Special
Horton Hears a Who! was also made into a half-hour animated TV special in 1970. Chuck Jones directed it. Theodor Geisel himself produced it. Hans Conried narrated the special and also voiced Horton. In this version, the Sour Kangaroo's name is Jane, and her son is Junior. Horton's contact in Whoville was a scientist named Dr. Hoovie, also voiced by Hans Conried. Jane was voiced by June Foray. Dr. Seuss won a Peabody Award for this animated special.
See also
In Spanish: ¡Horton escucha a Quién! para niños
