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What Pet Should I Get?
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Picture Books (2015)A never-before-seen picture book by Dr. Seuss!
This never-ever-before-seen picture book by Dr. Seuss about making up one’s mind is the literary equivalent of buried treasure! What happens when a brother and sister visit a pet store to pick a pet? Naturally, they can’t choose just one! The tale captures a classic childhood moment — choosing a pet — and uses it to illuminate a life lesson: that it is hard to make up your mind, but sometimes you just have to do it!
Told in Dr. Seuss’s signature rhyming style, this is a must-have for Seuss fans and book collectors, and a perfect choice for the holidays, birthdays, and happy occasions of all kinds.
An Editor’s Note at the end discusses Dr. Seuss’s creative process, his interest in animals, and Seussian creatures throughout his work.
This never-ever-before-seen picture book by Dr. Seuss about making up one’s mind is the literary equivalent of buried treasure! What happens when a brother and sister visit a pet store to pick a pet? Naturally, they can’t choose just one! The tale captures a classic childhood moment — choosing a pet — and uses it to illuminate a life lesson: that it is hard to make up your mind, but sometimes you just have to do it!
Told in Dr. Seuss’s signature rhyming style, this is a must-have for Seuss fans and book collectors, and a perfect choice for the holidays, birthdays, and happy occasions of all kinds.
An Editor’s Note at the end discusses Dr. Seuss’s creative process, his interest in animals, and Seussian creatures throughout his work.
48 pages, Hardcover
First published July 28, 2015
209 people are currently reading
4213 people want to read
About the author
Dr. Seuss
892 books18.2k followersAlso wrote as Theodore Seuss Geisel, see https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Theodor Seuss Geisel was born 2 March 1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts. He graduated Dartmouth College in 1925, and proceeded on to Oxford University with the intent of acquiring a doctorate in literature. At Oxford he met Helen Palmer, who he wed in 1927. He returned from Europe in 1927, and began working for a magazine called Judge, the leading humor magazine in America at the time, submitting both cartoons and humorous articles for them. Additionally, he was submitting cartoons to Life, Vanity Fair and Liberty. In some of his works, he'd made reference to an insecticide called Flit. These references gained notice, and led to a contract to draw comic ads for Flit. This association lasted 17 years, gained him national exposure, and coined the catchphrase "Quick, Henry, the Flit!"
In 1936 on the way to a vacation in Europe, listening to the rhythm of the ship's engines, he came up with And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, which was then promptly rejected by the first 43 publishers he showed it to. Eventually in 1937 a friend published the book for him, and it went on to at least moderate success.
During World War II, Geisel joined the army and was sent to Hollywood. Captain Geisel would write for Frank Capra's Signal Corps Unit (for which he won the Legion of Merit) and do documentaries (he won Oscar's for Hitler Lives and Design for Death). He also created a cartoon called Gerald McBoing-Boing which also won him an Oscar.
In May of 1954, Life published a report concerning illiteracy among school children. The report said, among other things, that children were having trouble to read because their books were boring. This inspired Geisel's publisher, and prompted him to send Geisel a list of 400 words he felt were important, asked him to cut the list to 250 words (the publishers idea of how many words at one time a first grader could absorb), and write a book. Nine months later, Geisel, using 220 of the words given to him published The Cat in the Hat , which went on to instant success.
In 1960 Bennett Cerf bet Geisel $50 that he couldn't write an entire book using only fifty words. The result was Green Eggs and Ham . Cerf never paid the $50 from the bet.
Helen Palmer Geisel died in 1967. Theodor Geisel married Audrey Stone Diamond in 1968. Theodor Seuss Geisel died 24 September 1991.
Also worked under the pen name: Theo Le Sieg
Theodor Seuss Geisel was born 2 March 1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts. He graduated Dartmouth College in 1925, and proceeded on to Oxford University with the intent of acquiring a doctorate in literature. At Oxford he met Helen Palmer, who he wed in 1927. He returned from Europe in 1927, and began working for a magazine called Judge, the leading humor magazine in America at the time, submitting both cartoons and humorous articles for them. Additionally, he was submitting cartoons to Life, Vanity Fair and Liberty. In some of his works, he'd made reference to an insecticide called Flit. These references gained notice, and led to a contract to draw comic ads for Flit. This association lasted 17 years, gained him national exposure, and coined the catchphrase "Quick, Henry, the Flit!"
In 1936 on the way to a vacation in Europe, listening to the rhythm of the ship's engines, he came up with And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, which was then promptly rejected by the first 43 publishers he showed it to. Eventually in 1937 a friend published the book for him, and it went on to at least moderate success.
During World War II, Geisel joined the army and was sent to Hollywood. Captain Geisel would write for Frank Capra's Signal Corps Unit (for which he won the Legion of Merit) and do documentaries (he won Oscar's for Hitler Lives and Design for Death). He also created a cartoon called Gerald McBoing-Boing which also won him an Oscar.
In May of 1954, Life published a report concerning illiteracy among school children. The report said, among other things, that children were having trouble to read because their books were boring. This inspired Geisel's publisher, and prompted him to send Geisel a list of 400 words he felt were important, asked him to cut the list to 250 words (the publishers idea of how many words at one time a first grader could absorb), and write a book. Nine months later, Geisel, using 220 of the words given to him published The Cat in the Hat , which went on to instant success.
In 1960 Bennett Cerf bet Geisel $50 that he couldn't write an entire book using only fifty words. The result was Green Eggs and Ham . Cerf never paid the $50 from the bet.
Helen Palmer Geisel died in 1967. Theodor Geisel married Audrey Stone Diamond in 1968. Theodor Seuss Geisel died 24 September 1991.
Also worked under the pen name: Theo Le Sieg
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 674 reviews
August 2, 2016
My nieces were over last weekend and they brought this book with them. My daughter and I both enjoy Dr. Seuss books. My daughter read it to the girls and later when they were busy, I had a look at it myself.
So apparently this is a never-before-seen Dr. Seuss book published in 2015. They say it was likely written somewhere in the late 1950's to early 1960's.
Brother and sister, Jay and Kay are off to the pet shop to pick out a new pet. There are dogs, cats, rabbits, monkeys and of course many other new and exciting animals to choose from. As the deadline approaches (they have to be home by noon), Jay and Kay struggle with which animal to choose. It shows how it can be really hard to make up your mind, but sometimes you just have to do it!
“Oh, boy! It is something to make a mind up!”
I can imagine as a child how things would go if I had been given the option of picking out the new family pet. I honestly believe it would take me FOREVER to pick which animal I wanted. I can't even imagine if on top of that both my brother and I had to agree on an animal. I'm pretty sure that after a certain amount of time my father would have yelled something like "FINE, You guys can't stop arguing, now there will be NO PET at all" and then he would storm out of the store.
My nieces really enjoyed the book and my daughter enjoyed reading it to them. Although my daughter and I both agreed that it wasn't a favorite. Something seemed a bit different and I was a little disappointed at the ending. I really do wonder why it wasn't published all those years ago. I guess we will never know for sure.
I don't think it was an awful book. But for me it was no Cat in the Hat, The Grinch who Stole Christmas, Green Eggs and Ham or any of my other favorites. However, I think any lover of Dr. Seuss may want it for their collection.
2.5 stars
February 7, 2016
This book was unfortunately published, even though Dr. Suess was dead.
You know you're in trouble on the first page, where the 'rhyme' consists of three uses of the word 'pet' and one 'get.' We also have a lot of repetition, like
Do you know what she did
She said, “FISH!
FISH!
FISH!
FISH!
It may be a fish
is the pet that we wish!”
Come on, now. o.O
The subject matter is lame, the pets the kids imagine are lame,
“I will do it right now.
I will do it!” I said.
“I will make up the mind
that is up in my head.”
The dog...? Or the rabbit...?
The fish...? Or the cat...?
I picked one out fast,
and then that was that.
You've got to be kidding me with this shit.
Tl;dr – Why would you besmirch Suess's memory with this crap? UGH.
I love Suess books. LOVE THEM. This falls short of the mark. AVOID.
Ages 0-6.
You know you're in trouble on the first page, where the 'rhyme' consists of three uses of the word 'pet' and one 'get.' We also have a lot of repetition, like
Do you know what she did
She said, “FISH!
FISH!
FISH!
FISH!
It may be a fish
is the pet that we wish!”
Come on, now. o.O
The subject matter is lame, the pets the kids imagine are lame,
“I will do it right now.
I will do it!” I said.
“I will make up the mind
that is up in my head.”
The dog...? Or the rabbit...?
The fish...? Or the cat...?
I picked one out fast,
and then that was that.
You've got to be kidding me with this shit.
Tl;dr – Why would you besmirch Suess's memory with this crap? UGH.
I love Suess books. LOVE THEM. This falls short of the mark. AVOID.
Ages 0-6.
August 17, 2018
I saw this book and I thought, how is it I missed it and didn't read this. It's because it was published in 2015. It was actually penciled by Dr. Seuss and the story was laid out by him. Mostly it was his words. They company still had to decide little things here and there, but it is mostly his. The last pages did talk about how Dr. Seuss went over and over manuscripts and poured over little details. I think the difference here is he didn't do that to this story. This is an earlier draft he set aside. His 2nd wife Audrey found this in a box of projects from his office.
I did enjoy this book. It is not the best Seuss book and it is still a Seuss book which is better than most things out there. I like that there is a mystery with the ending. It is left to our imagination - which pet did they get? I hope it was the tall new kind under the desk. That was neat.
I'm glad they are bringing out his work and continuing to publish mostly. I have enjoyed much of it and as long as it's his original idea, it's nice to continue to get a new book 'beyond the grave' now and then, but eventually even that will stop.
The kids thought this was cute. The nephew gave this 5 stars. He wanted them all to, but at the end when there were made up pets, he especially wanted those.
I did enjoy this book. It is not the best Seuss book and it is still a Seuss book which is better than most things out there. I like that there is a mystery with the ending. It is left to our imagination - which pet did they get? I hope it was the tall new kind under the desk. That was neat.
I'm glad they are bringing out his work and continuing to publish mostly. I have enjoyed much of it and as long as it's his original idea, it's nice to continue to get a new book 'beyond the grave' now and then, but eventually even that will stop.
The kids thought this was cute. The nephew gave this 5 stars. He wanted them all to, but at the end when there were made up pets, he especially wanted those.
September 18, 2015
I’m not a huge Dr. Seuss fan, but I do have a favorite or two or three. One particular green, grouchy guy to name but one will always have a place in my holiday fun. I really enjoyed this newly discovered gem though.
What Pet Should I Get? is classic Seuss. A calling card style filled with colors, creatures, rhymes, and animals. Plus that ending! So Seuss perfect! What do you think they picked out?
A must for Dr. Seuss fans and a reading joy for all.
November 2, 2016
The latest (last?) book by Dr. Seuss. Apparently the manuscript and art work were discovered only in 2013 by a friend of the author.
It wasn't good enough to be on the same level as my beloved holy trinity (Horton Hears A Who, The Grinch That Stole Christmas and The Lorax) but it is still a very good book and obviously aimed at a younger audience. The topic however is timeless and very important - typical Dr. Seuss.
What I liked particularly is that in the afterword the publishers mention the difference between 50 years ago, when the story was written, and nowasays (what with pet stores then and animal shelters now). I'm also happy to read that they don't support puppy mills and ask the readers to go rescue an animal instead if they choose to get a pet. It is definitely something the author would approve of. Moreover, there were some nice photographs of the author, his first wife and some of the dogs he had during his lifetime that went together with some background information of what pets meant to the author.
The artwork itself is by Theodore Seuss Geisel as usual but he never coloured it and some of the rhymes lack a word or two that were filled in by the team. However, I only know that because of the information in the afterword so they did a pretty good job.
I'm glad they chose to publish this manuscript because it's a topic that was still missing in the canon but has a deep connection to the author and his private life and should be important for any parent/child!
It wasn't good enough to be on the same level as my beloved holy trinity (Horton Hears A Who, The Grinch That Stole Christmas and The Lorax) but it is still a very good book and obviously aimed at a younger audience. The topic however is timeless and very important - typical Dr. Seuss.
What I liked particularly is that in the afterword the publishers mention the difference between 50 years ago, when the story was written, and nowasays (what with pet stores then and animal shelters now). I'm also happy to read that they don't support puppy mills and ask the readers to go rescue an animal instead if they choose to get a pet. It is definitely something the author would approve of. Moreover, there were some nice photographs of the author, his first wife and some of the dogs he had during his lifetime that went together with some background information of what pets meant to the author.
The artwork itself is by Theodore Seuss Geisel as usual but he never coloured it and some of the rhymes lack a word or two that were filled in by the team. However, I only know that because of the information in the afterword so they did a pretty good job.
I'm glad they chose to publish this manuscript because it's a topic that was still missing in the canon but has a deep connection to the author and his private life and should be important for any parent/child!
August 24, 2015
We are a Dr. Seuss family. We have almost every book and collection...in fact, my son was reading Green Eggs and Ham to me earlier today. I simply cannot say enough about the genius of Dr. Seuss. Unfortunately, this "new book" is instead a very rough draft that was apparently abandoned early on only to be picked up now, fooled with extensively and published. Each Dr. Seuss book is a beautifully polished masterpiece with a cadence and story that appeals to children of all ages. Most teach a lesson or make an important commentary...all encourage children to read, dream, imagine, think, aspire. What embodies all things Dr. Seuss is woefully absent here. This draft would be better served in a museum.
January 11, 2020
Neo led us through this one, allowing Dr. Seuss to offer up some more magic in this wonderful piece about pets. The narrator and his sister are sent to the pet shop to find a pet of their own. What seems an easy choice of either a cat or dog soon gets more tricky. So many pets to see and ones that would be perfect to take home. The choices are endless and each has benefits. By the end, one is chosen for the house, but the narrator never tells us which one!
Neo breezed through this one, able to find the rhymes and get right into the action. I was pleased to see how well Neo did and hope he will keep on reading!
Were you aware of Neo’s GR account for posting reviews? Check him out: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1...
Neo breezed through this one, able to find the rhymes and get right into the action. I was pleased to see how well Neo did and hope he will keep on reading!
Were you aware of Neo’s GR account for posting reviews? Check him out: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1...
August 1, 2015
What pet should I get?
I'm afraid to say with regret
That this undiscovered manuscript
Has put good writing into
The Apocalypse.
Just as it did with Harper Lee
The rhythm of the words have been
Wiped with a squeegee.
For the writing is too simplistic
With very little substance, too narcissistic.
But alas, kids will overlook these faults
And remember Sneetches, Whos, and some other schmaltz,
For this book that is simply okay
To read tomorrow or even today,
So put on a face and be brave
And let Dr. Seuss turn over in his grave.
I'm afraid to say with regret
That this undiscovered manuscript
Has put good writing into
The Apocalypse.
Just as it did with Harper Lee
The rhythm of the words have been
Wiped with a squeegee.
For the writing is too simplistic
With very little substance, too narcissistic.
But alas, kids will overlook these faults
And remember Sneetches, Whos, and some other schmaltz,
For this book that is simply okay
To read tomorrow or even today,
So put on a face and be brave
And let Dr. Seuss turn over in his grave.
July 30, 2017
All the animals are great in their own places. You can't complain it is fit for this not that. They are amazing the way they are. And that lands us and our protagonist to the little confusion.
What pet should he get then?
What pet should he get then?
November 24, 2021
I'm getting closer and closer to being on track with my reading goal!
December 9, 2015
The whole family is reading all these Goodreads Children's Illustrated book nominees for 2015 and rating all of them. This is #16 for us.
So they found a "lost" and unfinished Seuss book to add to the canon, which is already large and impressive. But why is it this comes out now? Is it one of the best ever? Even a just okay Seuss is better than most books out there, as you'd expect, and we liked it fine, but did not feel it stood up there with the best.
If it was one of the best, it would have been "discovered" when he was alive. He would have put it out there and finished it. A cash grab? Maybe not just that . .
I thought it was good, not great. They worked hard to make sure it was up to Seuss quality visually, but it is still not as inventive as others.
Dave 3 stars
Tara 3 stars
Harry (10) 3.5 stars
Henry (9) 3.5 stars
Lyra (8) 4 stars
The younger we go, the higher the rating, which is good for the book's marketing because it is designed for younger readers.
So they found a "lost" and unfinished Seuss book to add to the canon, which is already large and impressive. But why is it this comes out now? Is it one of the best ever? Even a just okay Seuss is better than most books out there, as you'd expect, and we liked it fine, but did not feel it stood up there with the best.
If it was one of the best, it would have been "discovered" when he was alive. He would have put it out there and finished it. A cash grab? Maybe not just that . .
I thought it was good, not great. They worked hard to make sure it was up to Seuss quality visually, but it is still not as inventive as others.
Dave 3 stars
Tara 3 stars
Harry (10) 3.5 stars
Henry (9) 3.5 stars
Lyra (8) 4 stars
The younger we go, the higher the rating, which is good for the book's marketing because it is designed for younger readers.
Read
February 17, 2023I've read this book as part of my school requirement, and it is okay. 👌
It's perfect to use as motivation during classes to teach the children the importance of thinking thoroughly when taking home a pet or pets. ✨
By the way, this is my first read from one of the world's most famous children's book writers, Dr. Seuss.
It's perfect to use as motivation during classes to teach the children the importance of thinking thoroughly when taking home a pet or pets. ✨
By the way, this is my first read from one of the world's most famous children's book writers, Dr. Seuss.
August 6, 2015
Despite how it is being promoted, this is not really a newly discovered lost Dr. Seuss book. It is a partially incomplete rough draft that Seuss discarded without having gotten it to a point that he felt was worth trying to publish, with gaps filled in by the publisher.
It is perhaps fascinating from an academic perspective. We usually only get to see Seuss's final products, full of whimsy and imagination, coupled with his flawless command of rhyme and rhythm. This book reveals to us just how much work went into his writings, as this early draft is entirely devoid of whimsy and imagination, and on a technical level is shockingly poor with regards to rhyme and rhythm. Even the worst Seuss pastiches tend to have better rhythm to them than this work does. Seeing how little of his characteristically perfect word-craft is present in this early draft demonstrates just how much hard work Seuss put into revising his work. This book is a demonstration of the importance of hard work in writing. With a concentrated effort, with many many pages revised and discarded and reworked, you get something like "One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish." Without that work, you get something like this.
It is perhaps fascinating from an academic perspective. We usually only get to see Seuss's final products, full of whimsy and imagination, coupled with his flawless command of rhyme and rhythm. This book reveals to us just how much work went into his writings, as this early draft is entirely devoid of whimsy and imagination, and on a technical level is shockingly poor with regards to rhyme and rhythm. Even the worst Seuss pastiches tend to have better rhythm to them than this work does. Seeing how little of his characteristically perfect word-craft is present in this early draft demonstrates just how much hard work Seuss put into revising his work. This book is a demonstration of the importance of hard work in writing. With a concentrated effort, with many many pages revised and discarded and reworked, you get something like "One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish." Without that work, you get something like this.
July 29, 2015
A great find in the wake of the Harper Lee debacle. That said, some of the rhymes are uneven and I suspect the good doctor might have a bit of polishing in mind before it hit the shelves. Still, any new Dr. Seuss is an exciting thing for our collective inner child.
April 18, 2017
What?! Cute enough but that ending? Really? Come on!
Read
June 24, 2019I do not like it, Sam-I-Am :(
October 19, 2015
I read this with my great niece who is 3, she like it. Not my favorite book by Dr. Seuss but it was cute.
August 17, 2018
#readharder2016 read aloud pick.
Today I picked up a foster cat. He is, unfortunately, in pretty bad shape currently. However he's expected to make a full recovery. He has numerous wounds, and some have stitches. He has to wear a cone for the time being. Also, he must have been either a stray or abandoned, because his fur is not in good condition either. Because of his wounds he has to stay segregated from my pets, so he is currently in a bathroom by himself.
Tonight I downloaded the E-book of What Pet Should I Get? and read it to him before bed. He was so excited. He climbed right into my lap and started kneading my legs while I read and by the time I finished the book he had his eyes closed. He just loves being held. This was a cute way to help him get used to his temporary life in my home. The story is cute enough with an ending open for a child's interpretation.
Today I picked up a foster cat. He is, unfortunately, in pretty bad shape currently. However he's expected to make a full recovery. He has numerous wounds, and some have stitches. He has to wear a cone for the time being. Also, he must have been either a stray or abandoned, because his fur is not in good condition either. Because of his wounds he has to stay segregated from my pets, so he is currently in a bathroom by himself.
Tonight I downloaded the E-book of What Pet Should I Get? and read it to him before bed. He was so excited. He climbed right into my lap and started kneading my legs while I read and by the time I finished the book he had his eyes closed. He just loves being held. This was a cute way to help him get used to his temporary life in my home. The story is cute enough with an ending open for a child's interpretation.
August 9, 2015
Thrilled beyond all reasoning to have another Dr. Seuss book! The day I found out it was going to be released I started squealing at the dinner table. Bless my poor family, they laughed at my outburst and went right on with life (because I don't regularly squeal over books or anything like that...). This is definitely the message for me - we have so many options in this world and no one can make a decision for you, hence that infuriatingly appropriate ending. As with all of the works by this brilliant author, I highly recommend for anyone who breathes oxygen.
July 28, 2015
Well worth the wait !
August 9, 2015
That ending though.........
August 2, 2015
It's fun! It's great!
While standing in queue
To read a Dr. Seuss book
That is brand new!
While standing in queue
To read a Dr. Seuss book
That is brand new!
August 5, 2015
Most everyone in the book community is thrilled that a new Dr.Seuss book has been published. Mr. Geisel probably would have spent several more months tweaking the story but What Pet Should I Get is pretty well polished. It is definitely the voice of Seuss although the "make up your mind" message is a little rough and you are hit over the head pretty well with it. For goodness sake-it is a pair of siblings being brought to a pet store with a myriad of amazing animals and asked to choose one animal (or fish) asap. The illustrations are classic Seuss and the color schemes are probably spot on or quite close to what Geisel would have chosen. I liked the mystery ending quite well. The additional info on Theodore Geisel is quite wonderful and may encourage older children to want to read more about him. I hope additional Seuss manuscripts/arwork will be "discovered" in future years. New generations (and old) of children the world over deserve it.
November 26, 2015
This is really just for superfans. It's not that cute and the rhythm is that great, and this is coming from a huge animal lover, so I wss very inclined to love it if I could. It was a draft that Dr. Seuss didn't choose to finish, so it is what it is. The interesting part is the several page in the back that tells about Dr. Seuss's life and his writing process.
May 10, 2022
I like the messages at the end about responsible pet adoption and information about the author’s own pets. Obviously, attitudes have changed quite a bit since the manuscript was first written. It’s still a fun read as long as parents or caregivers discuss things with the kids.
April 20, 2016
The library notified me that this book arrived yesterday and I immediately had to check it out and read it immediately. This is the book that started this whole exploration of reading Dr. Seuss books. I didn't know this at the time but this book is receiving some minor controversies among the midst of Harper Lee's new book. I always thought this book was a complete original book by Dr. Seuss which technically it is correct.
After Dr. Seuss death, his wife had a box full of drafts and other works of his that she didn't bother to touch and research until 2013. Between her and Dr. Seuss secretary they found this draft of basically a completed work. The only exception it wasn't complete to Dr. Seuss's standards which is months of works and revision. From experts who has worked with Dr. Seuss and with the publishing company could determine around what era was this book written and by having that data they can pin point the usage of color and words.
During the late 1950s to early 1960s, Dr. Seuss was an over night success with "The Cat in the Hat" and because of that and the new publishing company established to help Young Readers made it a difficult time for him. What he would do is make countless drafts for new books but put them away for a later time to reworked them when he wasn't editing other books. When it comes to this book, he already had the illustrations completed without color, and had the rhyming words taped to the pages. Because of the rough draft is old and some of the words have fainted or unable to read, the publishing company had to use creative license and supplement the missing words. For the color schemes, since they knew the time frame of this manuscript, they were able to use the colors he used at the time and blend it in with our modern times to create this book.
I believe between the illustrations, the color, and the story that they did a great job and honoring a man who helped children learn how to read and to use their imagination. What I don't like is they are selling this as an original story as if Dr. Seuss wrote a completely finished book and forgot to publish. From reading this book we get a huge insight as to how Dr. Seuss would spend months and months finding the right words, the right story, and the right illustrations to go into a children's book. He was a total perfectionist and didn't like to have his work incomplete before publishing it. I enjoyed this book and highly recommend others to check it out.
What Pet Should I Get? deals with these two kids who are brother and sister who enter a pet store to pick out a pet. The narrator is the boy who is doesn't have a name and his sister name is Kay. At first he sees the dog and wants the dog and his sister sees a cat and wants a cat. They cannot pick which one to take because they want both but their parents told them only one animal. Taking care of an animal is a huge responsibility and most parents cannot afford more than one animal and I believe everyone can understand these kids predicament. As the story goes along they meet other animals and the mission of picking one out becomes difficult and time is of the essence since the kids need to back home by noon.
That ending was a complete shocker and I got angry that since it is a short book, Dr. Seuss ended the book the way it did but thank the heavens that the publishers included the whole background story about this book in the final few pages to inform the readers about this spectacular book. If you would like to know the answer as to what pet the kids get then beware that I hid the answer in a spoiler. I'm being nice because I do not want people to be robbed of that ending of this great book.
After Dr. Seuss death, his wife had a box full of drafts and other works of his that she didn't bother to touch and research until 2013. Between her and Dr. Seuss secretary they found this draft of basically a completed work. The only exception it wasn't complete to Dr. Seuss's standards which is months of works and revision. From experts who has worked with Dr. Seuss and with the publishing company could determine around what era was this book written and by having that data they can pin point the usage of color and words.
During the late 1950s to early 1960s, Dr. Seuss was an over night success with "The Cat in the Hat" and because of that and the new publishing company established to help Young Readers made it a difficult time for him. What he would do is make countless drafts for new books but put them away for a later time to reworked them when he wasn't editing other books. When it comes to this book, he already had the illustrations completed without color, and had the rhyming words taped to the pages. Because of the rough draft is old and some of the words have fainted or unable to read, the publishing company had to use creative license and supplement the missing words. For the color schemes, since they knew the time frame of this manuscript, they were able to use the colors he used at the time and blend it in with our modern times to create this book.
I believe between the illustrations, the color, and the story that they did a great job and honoring a man who helped children learn how to read and to use their imagination. What I don't like is they are selling this as an original story as if Dr. Seuss wrote a completely finished book and forgot to publish. From reading this book we get a huge insight as to how Dr. Seuss would spend months and months finding the right words, the right story, and the right illustrations to go into a children's book. He was a total perfectionist and didn't like to have his work incomplete before publishing it. I enjoyed this book and highly recommend others to check it out.
What Pet Should I Get? deals with these two kids who are brother and sister who enter a pet store to pick out a pet. The narrator is the boy who is doesn't have a name and his sister name is Kay. At first he sees the dog and wants the dog and his sister sees a cat and wants a cat. They cannot pick which one to take because they want both but their parents told them only one animal. Taking care of an animal is a huge responsibility and most parents cannot afford more than one animal and I believe everyone can understand these kids predicament. As the story goes along they meet other animals and the mission of picking one out becomes difficult and time is of the essence since the kids need to back home by noon.
That ending was a complete shocker and I got angry that since it is a short book, Dr. Seuss ended the book the way it did but thank the heavens that the publishers included the whole background story about this book in the final few pages to inform the readers about this spectacular book. If you would like to know the answer as to what pet the kids get then beware that I hid the answer in a spoiler. I'm being nice because I do not want people to be robbed of that ending of this great book.
August 17, 2018
SPOILER ALERT!!!!
In truth I was taken by the haunting ambiguity of this posthumously published work by Dr. Seuss. After several hours of agonizing over which animal companion should the two children bring home (it's a bit like Sartre's NO EXIT but with cats, dogs, birds, iguanas, and fish), the mystery of what is in the covered box is left unsolved (shades of WAITING FOR GODOT). Who are the parents who would put these children in such a quandary? Why must those domestic tyrants insist on only one animal companion? Seuss's existential puzzle leaves open more questions than it answers. This is a book I will revisit again, with more attention to the details of the art, which might contain hidden clues. As a reader, I should forget my own pro-cat prejudice and put myself in the position of the children. Great literature is all about empathy.
In truth I was taken by the haunting ambiguity of this posthumously published work by Dr. Seuss. After several hours of agonizing over which animal companion should the two children bring home (it's a bit like Sartre's NO EXIT but with cats, dogs, birds, iguanas, and fish), the mystery of what is in the covered box is left unsolved (shades of WAITING FOR GODOT). Who are the parents who would put these children in such a quandary? Why must those domestic tyrants insist on only one animal companion? Seuss's existential puzzle leaves open more questions than it answers. This is a book I will revisit again, with more attention to the details of the art, which might contain hidden clues. As a reader, I should forget my own pro-cat prejudice and put myself in the position of the children. Great literature is all about empathy.
December 12, 2015
I love Dr. Seuss, but was disappointed by this post-humus published work. It lacked the brilliant rhyming polish of the books published during his lifetime. Also, I was disappointed by the ending.
July 28, 2015
Love it! So glad this new story was found and published!
January 20, 2016
I read this as a storytime to kids. It was fun, well suited to reading aloud. What I wanted to know, though, was what one they actually did get...
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