How the Grinch Stole Christmas! facts for kids
Book cover
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| Author | Dr. Seuss |
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| Illustrator | Dr. Seuss |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's literature |
| Publisher | Redbook (magazine) Random House (book) |
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Publication date
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October 12, 1957 (Redbook) November 24, 1957 (renewed in 1985) |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 64 |
| ISBN | 0-394-80079-6 |
| OCLC | 178325 |
| Preceded by | The Cat in the Hat (publication date) Horton Hears a Who! (in universe) |
| Followed by | The Cat in the Hat Comes Back |
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is a classic children's book by Dr. Seuss. It tells the story of the Grinch, a grumpy, green creature. He lives on a mountain overlooking the cheerful town of Whoville. The Grinch dislikes Christmas and tries to stop it from coming. He plans to steal all the gifts and decorations from the Whos.
But the Grinch learns an important lesson. He discovers that Christmas is about more than just presents. It's about kindness and being together. This heartwarming story was first published in 1957. It reminds us that the true spirit of the holidays is not about buying things. The book has inspired many popular movies and TV shows over the years.
Contents
What Happens in the Story?
The Grinch is a lonely, grumpy creature. He lives high above Whoville. His heart is "two sizes too small." He hates the joyful Christmas celebrations of the Whos. For 53 years, their noise has bothered him. So, he decides to stop Christmas from arriving.
On Christmas Eve, the Grinch dresses as Santa Claus. He uses his dog, Max, to pull a sleigh. He sneaks into Whoville homes. He steals all the presents, food, and even Christmas trees. A little girl, Cindy-Lou Who, briefly sees him. But the Grinch quickly tells a clever lie to send her back to bed.
After robbing every house, the Grinch goes to Mount Crumpit. He plans to throw all the stolen items away. He expects the Whos to be sad on Christmas morning. Instead, he hears them singing happily. This surprises him greatly.
The Grinch then understands something important. Christmas is not about gifts or feasts. It's about friendship and happiness. His small heart grows much bigger. The changed Grinch returns everything he stole. He is then invited to celebrate Christmas with the Whos. He even carves the "roast beast" at their feast.
How the Book Was Created
The Grinch character first appeared in a poem in Redbook magazine in 1955. Dr. Seuss started writing the full book in early 1957. He had just finished his famous book, The Cat in the Hat.
Dr. Seuss said he felt a bit like the Grinch himself. He was concerned about how much Christmas had become about shopping. This feeling helped him create the grumpy character. He wrote the story quite quickly.
The hardest part for him was the ending. He wanted the Grinch to change without sounding preachy. He finally decided to show the Grinch celebrating with the Whos. The Grinch even carves the "roast beast" at their feast. This simple ending showed the Grinch's change of heart.
The book was finished by May 1957. It was published in December of that year. It appeared both as a book by Random House and in Redbook magazine. Dr. Seuss dedicated the book to his young nephew, Teddy Owens.
The story has been translated into many languages. One unique translation is into Latin. It is called Quomodo Invidiosulus Nomine Grinchus Christi Natalem Abrogaverit.
Bringing the Grinch to Life: Adaptations
The story of the Grinch has been told in many ways. It has been adapted for TV, movies, and the stage.
- Animated TV Special (1966): The first adaptation was a popular animated TV special. It featured the voice of Boris Karloff as the Grinch. This special also introduced the famous song, "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch."
- Halloween Specials (1977, 1982): Two other animated specials followed. Halloween Is Grinch Night was a prequel. The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat was a crossover story.
- Live-Action Film (2000): A live-action movie was made in 2000. It starred Jim Carrey as the Grinch. Ron Howard directed this film.
- Musical Stage Show (2007): The story was turned into a musical. It has been performed on Broadway and toured across the U.S.
- Animated Film (2018): Illumination Entertainment created a 3D animated movie. Benedict Cumberbatch provided the voice for the Grinch.
- Live TV Musical (2020): The stage musical was adapted for a live television broadcast. Matthew Morrison played the Grinch.
- Podcast (2023): A podcast inspired by the book was released by Wondery. James Austin Johnson hosted it.
Many audio recordings and interactive e-books of the story have also been released.
The Grinch's Lasting Impact
The Grinch's story is very popular. It is often listed as one of the best children's books. Teachers and librarians frequently recommend it.
The characters from the book have appeared in other works. The Grinch and his dog, Max, are in the puppet show The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss. They also appear in the musical Seussical.
The word "grinch" has even become part of our everyday language. If someone is called a "grinch," it means they are a "killjoy" or a "spoilsport." They might try to ruin fun for others.
A New Grinch Adventure
A sequel to the original book was released on September 5, 2023. It is titled How the Grinch Lost Christmas!. This new story was written by Alastair Heim. Aristides Ruiz created the illustrations.
See also
In Spanish: ¡Cómo el Grinch robó la Navidad! para niños
