When it comes to classic children’s books, Dr. Seuss is one of the most ubiquitous names around the world, with millions of children growing up to bedtime stories featuring the Lorax or Horton the Elephant. But with over 650 million Dr. Seuss books sold worldwide, one book trumps the rest when it comes to being the most popular: Green Eggs and Ham. But what makes this book such a popular choice for children all over the world, and why has it made such a lasting impression 60 years after it was first published?

 

A Green Eggs and Ham Book Summary With More Than 50 Words

 

The product of a challenge or a bet between Dr. Seuss’ and his publisher’s husband, Green Eggs and Ham is a book that uses only a grand total of 50 words that is reshuffled and repeated all throughout the book. Unfortunately, we’re not as talented as Dr. Seuss, so we’re going to need a whole lot more words to properly summarize Green Eggs and Ham – Sorry, Dr. Seuss!

To summarize, Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham narrates as Sam-I-Am offers an unnamed grouchy, picky eater (who was eventually called Guy-Am-I in future renditions of the book) a plate of green eggs and ham. The picky eater refuses, but Sam-I-Am insists that he tries them – in different settings, like a train, in the dark or in a car, or with different companions, like a goat, a fox, or a mouse. At last, after numerous attempts at persuasion, the picky eater relents to Sam-I-Am so that he would leave him alone. He tries the green eggs and ham, and much to his surprise ends up liking them.

 

Green Eggs and Ham Review: Why Is It Such an Effective Children’s Book?

 

Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham can be considered one of the best books for beginner readers because of the ease of vocabulary and the entertaining and simple rhyming. With exactly 50 words that are repeated throughout the book, children can easily practice enunciation and reading. This book may even help them get a few additions to their personal vocabularies as well as improved concepts of grammar, which are only a few of the benefits that children can get from reading.

Secondly, the visuals of Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham make it an irresistible choice for children, from the cute anthropomorphic characters of Sam-I-Am to the colorful visualizations of the things and settings Sam-I-Am are using to persuade Guy-Am-I. This means that children won’t need to imagine what Dr. Seuss is narrating because they’re already seeing it on the page, which is a great way to keep them engaged until the story ends. With full-page illustrations with full color – except for that one page when Sam-I-Am and Guy-Am-I enter a tunnel – children can easily tap into their creativity and be as immersed as possible.

In addition to these outstanding visual and verbal characteristics, what’s great about this Green Eggs and Ham book is that it’s pretty relatable for children, especially picky eaters. Every parent out there may have experience dealing with a few noes when trying to introduce new dishes or types of food to their children.

Children are usually creatures of habit, wanting to eat food that they’re accustomed to, with some being averse to new flavors and textures. Dr. Seuss expertly portrays this with Guy-Am-I’s constant refusal of the green eggs and ham without even the curiosity to try it out first. For children, who like visual representations and creative mediums, this book is an effective way to convince them that there’s nothing wrong with trying new things – or eating new food.

 

Our Verdict on Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham

 

These three characteristics – Dr. Seuss’ linguistic choices, book illustrations, and the overall plot of the story – makes Green Eggs and Ham one of the best children’s books out there and will surely leave a lasting impression with your kids well into adulthood, because it surely did for us. In fact, a lot of adults today still like reading Green Eggs and Ham just for the fun of it or maybe because of the nostalgic feeling it gives every time we read Sam-I-Am’s lines out loud.

For us, Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham will always be a worthwhile classic for both children and adults and will always be an interesting find in any bookshop. So, if you’re looking for a copy of Green Eggs and Ham in the Philippines, you can try your luck at any bookstore or just order a copy from Books.ph!