Green Eggs and Ham is a children's book by Dr. Seuss. It was published by the Beginner Books imprint of Random House on August 12, 1960. The book follows Sam-I-am as he follows an unnamed man, repeatedly asking him if he would like to try some green eggs and ham before the man eventually tries it and likes it. Seuss began writing Green Eggs and Ham after his editor Bennett Cerf bet him $50 (equivalent to $515in 2023) that he could not write an engaging children's book with a vocabulary of 50 words. Finding the challenge difficult, Seuss used notes, charts, and checklists to keep track of his progress. The book covers themes of conflict between individuals, though Seuss has said that it lacks any deeper meaning. Green Eggs and Ham was widely praised by critics for its writing and illustration, and the challenge of writing a book in 50 words is regarded as a success. The book has been the subject of multiple adaptations, including a television series of the same name in 2019.
Sam-I-am offers an unnamed man a plate of green eggs and ham, but the man tells him that he hates the food. Sam continues to follow the man, asking him to eat the food in some locations (house, box, car, tree, train, dark, rain, boat) and with some animals (mouse, fox, goat) for dining partners. Finally, when the man agrees to try the dish Sam-I-am has offered, he realizes that he does like green eggs and ham. He announces that he will eat them anywhere, and he thanks Sam-I-am.
Writing and release
Green Eggs and Ham was written by Theodor Seuss Geisel under his pen name Dr. Seuss. He wrote the book after his editor at Random House, Bennett Cerf, bet him $50 (equivalent to $515in 2023) that he could not write an engaging children's book using a vocabulary of only 50 distinct words.[1][2] The bet was a response to Seuss's previous success, The Cat in the Hat, which was written using 236 distinct words.[3] Seuss took extensive notes to work out how to best use 50 words, creating different charts and checklists.[4][5][6] By the time he finished arranging the words, he had memorized many of the statistics of how he used them.[7]
Seuss found the restriction especially challenging, and he rewrote many pages before he was satisfied with the rhymes.[5] The drafts were typed on rice paper, which Seuss attached to his illustrations.[8] His wife Helen Palmer sometimes placed his discarded drafts back on his desk in the hope that he would approve of them after looking at them a second time, though he rarely did.[5]
Early drafts had the unnamed man speak more aggressively to Sam-I-am. When the two characters were in a car atop the tree, he was originally written as saying "Sam-I-am. You let me be. Not in a car. You let me be!". Seuss changed this to "I would not, could not in a tree. Not in a car! You let me be.", making the outburst less direct and moving the exclamation point away from the command. In another example, he is written as saying "I do not like you, Sam-I-am". The drafts also described the subject as green ham and eggs instead of the final wording, green eggs and ham.[9]
Dr. Seuss finished writing Green Eggs and Ham in the early spring of 1960.[5] A reading was scheduled for April 19 in the office of Louise Bonino at Random House. These readings were often attended by the entire staff, but Cerf was out of the office that day, so a dinner party was arranged for the reading.[10][11] The reading ended with applause, but Seuss remained self-critical and scrutinized pages that he felt did not get the reaction he had hoped.[10]Phyllis Cerf had intended to announce Green Eggs and Ham with two other children's books, Are You My Mother? and Put Me in the Zoo, and a publicist was sent to request that reviewers postpone reviews after advance sheets had been distributed early.[6]
Green Eggs and Ham was published on August 12, 1960.[2] At the time, approximately three million Dr. Seuss books had already been sold.[12]
Analysis and themes
Dr. Seuss believed that children's books had more power to do good or evil for society than any other medium, and Green Eggs and Ham was the first of Seuss's Beginner Books to carry a lesson for children.[1] Despite this, Dr. Seuss has said that there is no deeper meaning in the book, insisting that "the only meaning was that Bennett Cerf, my publisher, bet me fifty bucks I couldn't write a book using only fifty words".[12]
Green Eggs and Ham reverses the traditional structure of an adult trying to convince a child to try new foods.[13] It is one of many Dr. Seuss books about a defiance of norms—in this case, the persistence of Sam-I-am after his offer of green eggs and ham is rejected. It explores the underlying social connection between individuals set in opposition to one another, but it does so in a way that appeals to the interests of children.[14][15] Both characters refuse to move from their decision throughout the book until the adult finally gives in at the end.[16]
Green Eggs and Ham only uses 50 words: a, am, and, anywhere, are, be, boat, box, car, could, dark, do, eat, eggs, fox, goat, good, green, ham, here, house, I, if, in, let, like, may, me, mouse, not, on, or, rain, Sam, say, see, so, thank, that, the, them, there, they, train, tree, try, will, with, would, and you.[3] Of these words, anywhere is the only one to have more than one syllable.[5][6] The different words are combined for a total length of 681 words,[13] and the most common words are not and I, which are used 82 and 81 times, respectively.[6]
The narrative of Green Eggs and Ham is told in a question-and-answer structure.[1] Consistent use of the name Sam-I-am instead of simply Sam allowed Seuss to maintain meter when rhyming it with the eponymous green eggs and ham. The title of Green Eggs and Ham is a play on the common phrase ham and eggs, inverting it to draw the reader's attention.[4]
Literature professor Donald E. Pease described Sam-I-am as "a young Grinch-like creature".[13] One academic, Tim Wolf, argued that Sam-I-am has no distinguishing gender or sex and could be read as male or female.[17]
It has been reported that the book was banned in China from 1965 to 1991 because it supposedly contained themes of "early Marxism"— that is to say, Soviet-style socialism (which was at odds with Chinese socialism). Allegedly, the breakfast was interpreted as a metaphor for Soviet socialism, with many initially rejecting it but eventually coming to enjoy it after "trying" it.[18]
Reception
Woman reading and showing Green Eggs and Ham to children.
Green Eggs and Ham was widely praised upon its release, and reviewers overwhelmingly celebrated that the book was written using only 50 distinct words.[12] Emily Maxwell of The New Yorker commented on Seuss's use of the vocabulary, saying that "reading him, one is hardly aware that there are more than fifty words".[19] It was praised for its rhythm and illustrations[13] as well as its use of rhymes.[19] The humorous nature of the book was also received positively.[13][19]
The Saturday Review of Literature praised the book's pacing, paying attention specifically to the opening pages in which Sam-I-am introduces himself with a placard.[19] Professor of children's literature Philip Nel similarly lauded the introduction for introducing the conflict of the book visually through Sam-I-am's active movement and the unnamed man's avoidance.[20]
In 1999, the National Education Association conducted an online survey of children and teachers, seeking the 100 most popular children's books. The children ranked Green Eggs and Ham third, just above another Dr. Seuss book, The Cat in the Hat.[21] The teachers ranked it fourth.[22] Teachers ranked it fourth again in a 2007 National Education Association poll.[23]Scholastic Parent & Child magazine placed it #7 among the "100 Greatest Books for Kids" in 2012.[24] That same year, it was ranked number 12 among the "Top 100 Picture Books" in a survey published by School Library Journal – the first of five Dr. Seuss books on the list.[25]
Impact and legacy
The Green Eggs and Ham Cafe in the Seuss Landing theme park
In 1967, Green Eggs and Ham ranked as the best-selling children's book.[26] At the end of 2000, it had sold 8,143,088 copies, making it the most popular book by Dr. Seuss and the all-time fourth best-selling hardcover children's book in the United States.[27]
At Dr. Seuss's alma mater, Dartmouth College, it became an inside joke that the book's title was a reference to the breakfast food served in the on-campus cafeteria.[12] When Dr. Seuss received an honorary doctorate from Princeton University in 1985, the graduating class rose and recited Green Eggs and Ham in its entirety for him.[28][29] Dr. Seuss reportedly spent the rest of his life enduring gifts of green eggs and ham, which he described as "deplorable stuff".[12] Later in life, he said that Green Eggs and Ham was the only book of his that still made him laugh.[4]
The Green Eggs and Ham Cafe opened in the Seuss Landing island at the Universal Islands of Adventure theme park in 1999. It closed in 2015 before reopening in 2019. The cafe serves the titular green eggs and ham as well as other foods featured in Dr. Seuss books.[30]
U.S. District Court Judge James Muirhead referenced Green Eggs and Ham in his September 21, 2007, court ruling after receiving an egg in the mail from prisoner Charles Jay Wolff, who was protesting against the prison diet. Muirhead ordered the egg destroyed and rendered his judgment in the style of Seuss.[31] Senator Ted Cruz read the book on the floor of the United States Senate during his filibuster over the funding of the Affordable Care Act.[32] Musician will.i.am has stated that his moniker is inspired by the story.[33]
Many parodies of Green Eggs and Ham have been created, including a rap song by Moxy Früvous and a sketch on Saturday Night Live featuring the minister Jesse Jackson reading the book during a sermon.[34]
Green Eggs and Ham has been adapted into stage and television versions.[3] In 1973, it was adapted as an animated television special alongside The Sneetches and The Zax. Originally titled Dr. Seuss on the Loose, the special was later renamed Green Eggs and Ham and Other Stories.[35] The book was adapted as a video game for the Game Boy Advance, Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs and Ham, published by NewKidCo and released on November 17, 2003.[36] A television adaptation was released by Netflix in 2019, also titled Green Eggs and Ham. It stars Adam DeVine as Sam-I-Am, a wildlife protector, and Michael Douglas as the unnamed man, a failed inventor who is given the name Guy-Am-I for the series. The show introduces new characters, settings, and plots independently from the book.[37] An upcoming graphic novel Green Eggs and Ham Take a Hike written and illustrated by James Kochalka will be released on January 7, 2025.[38][39] In the graphic novel, the unnamed man's name is Walter.
Theodor Seuss Geisel was an American children's author and cartoonist. He is known for his work writing and illustrating more than 60 books under the pen name Dr. Seuss. His work includes many of the most popular children's books of all time, selling over 600 million copies and being translated into more than 20 languages by the time of his death.
The Cat in the Hat is a 1957 children's book written and illustrated by American author Theodor Geisel, using the pen name Dr. Seuss. The story centers on a tall anthropomorphic cat who wears a red and white-striped top hat and a red bow tie. The Cat shows up at the house of Sally and her brother one rainy day when their mother is away. Despite the repeated objections of the children's fish, the Cat shows the children a few of his tricks in an attempt to entertain them. In the process, he and his companions, Thing One and Thing Two, wreck the house. As the children and the fish become more alarmed, the Cat produces a machine that he uses to clean everything up and disappears just before the children's mother comes home.
Horton Hears a Who! is a children's book written and illustrated by Theodor Seuss Geisel under the pen name Dr. Seuss. It was published in 1954 by Random House. This book tells the story of Horton the Elephant and his adventures saving Whoville, a tiny planet located on a speck of dust, from the animals who mock him. These animals attempt to steal and burn the speck of dust, so Horton goes to great lengths to save Whoville from being incinerated.
Horton Hatches the Egg is a children's book written and illustrated by Theodor Geisel under the pen name Dr. Seuss and published in 1940 by Random House. The book tells the story of Horton the Elephant, who is tricked into sitting on a bird's egg while its mother, Mayzie, takes a permanent vacation to Palm Beach. Horton endures a number of hardships but persists, often stating, "I meant what I said, and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful, one hundred percent!" Ultimately, the egg hatches, revealing an elephant-bird, a creature with a blend of Mayzie's and Horton's features.
The Butter Battle Book is a children's book written by Dr. Seuss and published by Random House on January 12, 1984. It is an anti-war story: specifically, a parable about arms races in general, mutual assured destruction and nuclear weapons in particular. The Butter Battle Book was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year.
And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street is Theodor Seuss Geisel's first children's book published under the name Dr. Seuss. First published by Vanguard Press in 1937, the story follows a boy named Marco, who describes a parade of imaginary people and vehicles traveling along a road, Mulberry Street, in an elaborate fantasy story he dreams up to tell his father at the end of his walk. However, when he arrives home, he decides instead to tell his father what he actually saw—a simple horse and wagon.
On Beyond Zebra! is a 1955 illustrated children's book by Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss. In this take on the genre of alphabet book, Seuss presents, instead of the twenty-six letters of the conventional English alphabet, twenty additional letters that purportedly follow them.
Hop on Pop is a 1963 children's picture book by Dr. Seuss, published as part of the Random House Beginner Books series. The book is subtitled "The Simplest Seuss for Youngest Use", and is designed to introduce basic phonics concepts to children.
The Seven Lady Godivas: The True Facts Concerning History's Barest Family is a picture book of the tale of Lady Godiva, written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss. One of Seuss's few books written for adults, its original 1939 publication by Random House was a failure and was eventually remaindered. However, it later gained popularity as Seuss himself grew in fame, and was republished in 1987 by "multitudinous demand".
McElligot's Pool is a children's book written and illustrated by Theodor Geisel under the pen name Dr. Seuss and published by Random House in 1947. In the story, a boy named Marco, who first appeared in Geisel's 1937 book And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, imagines a wide variety of fantastic fish that could be swimming in the pond in which he is fishing. It later became one of the Seuss books featured in the Broadway musical Seussical where its story is used for the song "It's Possible".
Scrambled Eggs Super! is a 1953 children's book written and illustrated by American children's author Dr. Seuss. The story is told from the point of view of a boy named Peter T. Hooper, who makes scrambled eggs prepared from eggs belonging to various exotic birds.
Roy McKie was an American writer and illustrator of children's books, most notably under the Beginner Books imprint. He illustrated many books penned by Theodor Seuss Geisel under the pen name Theo. LeSieg.
Beginner Books is the Random House imprint for young children ages 3–9, co-founded by Phyllis Cerf with Ted Geisel, more often known as Dr. Seuss, and his wife Helen Palmer Geisel. Their first book was Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat (1957), whose title character appears in the brand's logo. Cerf compiled a list of 379 words as the basic vocabulary for young readers, along with another 20 slightly harder "emergency" words. No more than 200 words were taken from that list to write The Cat in the Hat. Subsequent books in the series were modeled on the same requirement.
In Search of Dr. Seuss is a 1994 American television film chronicling the adventures of a news reporter, Kathy Lane, who enters the world of Dr. Seuss by opening a magical book. Also starring are Matt Frewer, Christopher Lloyd, Andrea Martin, David Paymer, Patrick Stewart, Andraé Crouch, Robin Williams and Eileen Brennan.
The Foot Book is a children's book written by Dr. Seuss and first published in 1968. Intended for young children, it seeks to convey the concept of opposites through depictions of different kinds of feet. The text of The Foot Book is highly stylized, containing the rhymes, repetitions, and cadences typical of Dr. Seuss's work.
I Am Not Going to Get Up Today! is a children's book written by Dr. Seuss and illustrated by James Stevenson. It was published by Random House on October 12, 1987. It is the only Dr. Seuss book not to be illustrated by Seuss himself. The book is told from the perspective of a boy who decides not to get out of bed as his family and neighbors try to convince him to get up. Audio versions have been released, including a cassette tape in 1988 and an audiobook read by the actor Jason Alexander in 2003.
Helen Marion Palmer Geisel, known professionally as Helen Palmer, was an American children's writer, editor, and philanthropist. She was a co-founder and vice president of Beginner Books, and was married to fellow writer Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, from 1927 until her death.
There's a Wocket in My Pocket! is a short children's book by Dr. Seuss, published by Random House in 1974. It features a little boy talking about the strange creatures that live in his house, such as the yeps on the steps, the nooth grush on his toothbrush, the wasket in his basket, the zamp in a lamp, the yottle in the bottle, and the Nureau in the bureau.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is a Christmas children's book by Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel written in rhymed verse with illustrations by the author. It follows the Grinch, a cranky, solitary creature who attempts to thwart the public's Christmas plans by stealing Christmas gifts and decorations from the homes of the nearby town of Whoville on Christmas Eve. Miraculously, the Grinch realizes that Christmas is not all about money and presents.
Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, published over 60 children's books over the course of his long career. Though most were published under his well-known pseudonym, Dr. Seuss, he also authored a certain amount of books as Theo. LeSieg and one as Rosetta Stone.
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