Dr. Seuss is best known for his wonderfully whacky tales. Easy-to-read for children, sprinkled with a huge dose of humour, his books have been a delight for adults and kids alike.

But, did you know that Dr. Seuss is also known for the most inspirational quotable quotes and thoughts that one can ever get from children’s literature? Some of the Dr. Seuss books, if chosen deliberately and read mindfully can actually work as self-help books for children, building their confidence and self-esteem amongst other things.

Here are some of our picks:

Happy Birthday to You

Welcome to the imaginary land of Katroo, where birthday birds grow. The special birthday bird comes just to the birthday girl or boy. The concept of the birthday embraces the concept of individuality of each and every child. You are YOU…a unique YOU…is the powerful message, that every child must imbibe.

 

 

 

 

 

Today you are you,

That’s truer than true,

There’s nobody alive,

Who is youer than YOU!

The lesson: Celebrating individuality

Use it when: You need to remind yourself, or your child that individual differences are to be celebrated.

I Can Read with My Eyes Shut!

This book was written after Seuss’ vision began to fade and he started wearing glasses. In the quintessential Dr. Seuss way, it evokes the magic and the fun of reading.

“The more that you read,

the more things you will know.

The more that you learn,

the more places you’ll go.”

The lesson: The joys and the magic of reading, anywhere and anytime! Books can actually take you places, where you would never go had you not read them. This book emphasizes on the power of knowledge.

Use it when: You or your child need a little reminder to gently nudge you back into the world of books.

 Oh! The Places You’ll Go

This one gets full marks on the inspiration quotient. Indeed, it is the most inspirational Dr. Seuss books, and one that adults can actually relate with quite easily, as much as children can. It has a generous dose of motivational one-liners. The theme is about how obstacles are always present, but that life is all about moving on. The book propels the reader to go ahead and accomplish all that he wants to.

“You’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting,
So… get on your way!”

and

 “You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed.
You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.
Except when you don’t.
Because, sometimes, you won’t.”

Lesson: It instils self-confidence and self-esteem in a realistic manner and motivates one to go on.

Use it when: You are dejected and unsure about your progress, and you need that little push to go on…along with a dose of self-confidence!

These are but three of the more popular ones. However, there are many more books. Spending some time with these, would be a sure session of bibliotherapy! Dr. Seuss is not just a writer…but a remedy!