The Lorax facts for kids
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| Author | Dr. Seuss |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Dr. Seuss |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | 1 |
| Genre | Children's literature |
| Publisher | Random House |
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Publication date
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August 12, 1971 (renewed 1999) |
| Pages | 64 |
| ISBN | 0-394-82337-0 |
| OCLC | 183127 |
| [E] | |
| LC Class | PZ8.3.G276 Lo |
| Preceded by | Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? |
| Followed by | Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now! |
The Lorax is a famous children's book written by Dr. Seuss. It was first published in 1971. The story tells about the problems facing our environment. It features the Lorax, a small orange creature who "speaks for the trees." He stands up to the Once-ler, a powerful businessman who causes a lot of harm to nature.
This story is often seen as a fable, which is a tale that teaches a lesson. It warns us about the dangers of wanting too much and how it can hurt our natural world. Dr. Seuss uses personification in the book. This means he gives human feelings and actions to things that are not human. For example, the Once-ler represents industry, the Truffula trees represent the environment, and the Lorax stands for environmental activism. The book encourages everyone to get involved and make things better. The Once-ler says at the end, "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." The Lorax shows Dr. Seuss's strong feelings about climate change and pollution. It teaches kids how important it is to protect our planet.
Dr. Seuss himself said that The Lorax was his favorite book. He felt it was a great way to show how making money is sometimes put before protecting our world. He explained that he wrote The Lorax because he was angry. He wanted to attack what he saw as harmful actions against nature.
Contents
The Story of The Lorax
What Happens in the Book?
The story begins with a young boy living in a sad, gloomy town. He walks down a special street and meets a mysterious person called the Once-ler. The boy pays the Once-ler a small fee to hear a very old story. It is the tale of how the Lorax disappeared.
Many years ago, the Once-ler arrived in a beautiful valley. This valley was full of colorful Truffula Trees and happy animals. The Once-ler had been searching for a tree like the Truffula for a long time. He chopped one down and used its soft leaves to create a useful item called a Thneed. Suddenly, the Lorax appeared from the tree's stump. He was very upset about what the Once-ler had done.
The Once-ler ignored the Lorax's warnings. He sold his first Thneed and then called his relatives to help him grow his business. Soon, the Once-ler's small shop became a huge factory. New machines were built to cut down more Truffula trees and make many Thneeds. Over time, the beautiful valley became filled with pollution. The Lorax had to send all the animals away to find safer homes.
The Once-ler promised to keep making his business "biggering." But then, one of his machines cut down the very last Truffula tree. This forced his factory to close. The Lorax then flew away into the sky, leaving behind only a pile of rocks. On the rocks was one word: "UNLESS." For many years, the Once-ler lived alone, thinking about the Lorax's message.
When the Once-ler finishes his story, he finally understands. He realizes that things will not change or get better unless someone truly cares and takes action. He gives the boy the very last Truffula seed. He asks the boy to plant a new forest. The Once-ler hopes that one day, the Lorax and the animals will return.
Where Did the Idea Come From?
Many people believe that a specific Monterey cypress tree in La Jolla, California inspired The Lorax. Sadly, this tree fell down in June 2019. Another idea for the story's inspiration comes from the relationship between patas monkeys and whistling thorn acacia trees.
How The Lorax Lives On
Some trees in the genus Dracophyllum are now often called "Dr. Seuss trees." This is because they look a lot like the Truffula trees from the book.
The Lorax on Screen and Stage
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The First TV Show (1972)
The book was made into an animated TV special. It was a musical and first aired on CBS on February 14, 1972. The show featured the voices of Eddie Albert and Bob Holt. In this special, one of the Humming-Fish mentions the pollution of Lake Erie. This part is still in the DVD versions of the show. The TV special also added a scene where the Once-ler talks to himself. He wonders if closing his factory, which would make many people lose their jobs, is the right thing to do.
The Movie Adventure (2012)
Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment created a 3D CGI movie based on the book. The Lorax movie came out on March 2, 2012. This date was also Dr. Seuss's 108th birthday. The movie had a great cast of voices. Danny DeVito voiced the Lorax. Zac Efron was Ted (the boy from the book). Ed Helms played the Once-ler.
The film also introduced new characters. These included Rob Riggle as the villain Aloysius O'Hare, and Betty White as Ted's Grammy Norma. Jenny Slate voiced Ted's mother, Mrs. Wiggins, and Taylor Swift was Audrey, Ted's friend. The movie also had a longer ending. In this ending, the tree is replanted, and the Once-ler meets the Lorax again. The film was very popular, earning $70 million on its first weekend. It eventually made over $214 million in the United States. Danny DeVito even recorded his lines in five different languages!
Listening to The Lorax
Two audio versions of the book have been released on CD. One was read by Ted Danson in the United States. The other was read by Rik Mayall in the United Kingdom.
The Lorax as a Musical
A musical version of The Lorax was planned for the Broadway show Seussical. However, it was removed before the show opened. Later, a full musical based on the book ran in London. It played at the Old Vic theatre from December 2, 2015, to January 16, 2016. Charlie Fink, who was the lead singer of the band Noah and the Whale, wrote the music. The musical also ran in San Diego, California, at the Old Globe Theatre. This run was from July 2 to August 12, 2018. In this musical, a girl played the role of the hero who receives the last seed, instead of a boy.
See also
In Spanish: El Lorax para niños
