Oh, the Places You'll Go!

February 15, 2010
A trio of new pop-up books for spring.
Oh, the Places You'll Go! Pop-Up!
Dr. Seuss
, pop-ups by David A. Carter. Random/Corey
, $28.99 (22p) ISBN 978-0-375-85227-5

For its 20th anniversary, this ubiquitous classic gets the pop-up treatment, retaining Seuss's buoyant text and original illustrations. Wide flaps containing pop-up vignettes fold down toward readers, alternating with dramatic and impressive full-spread landscapes. Carter's pop-ups capably amplify the message about finding balance when life overwhelms: an erratic, multistory pop-up house teeters above, as the small protagonist can be seen riding an elephant (“with banner flip-flapping”) down below and scoring a basket at the very top. This edition of this graduation-time favorite is likely to pop up in dorm rooms come fall. Up to age 3.

March 1, 1990
PreS-Gr 3- The master of enjoyable didacticism offers a flight of fancy into the future of a generic "you" who is venturing out into the world, where he will have ups and downs but will succeed and finally "MOVE MOUNTAINS!" While doting relatives will find this extended greeting card an ideal gift for nursery school graduates, the story will have less appeal for children than Seuss' story books and easy readers. Seuss' characteristic drawings carry and extend the text through mazelike streets, over colorful checkerboard landscapes, into muddy blue "slumps," through heady highs when fame results from success at the game of life, and through dark, lonely confrontations with graveyard-like fears in times of solitude. While the text gives a strong message of self-determination and potential, the small, male "you" pictured seems more of a passive passenger on his journey through life, reacting to things as they come and walking along with his eyes shut on both the first and last pages of the text. Although this does not rank among the best of Seuss' books, its stress on self-esteem and imaginative artwork make it a good addition to picture-book collections. -Louise L. Sherman, Anna C. Scott School, Leonia, NJ

January 1, 1993
What appears to be a standard, cheerful Dr. Seuss picture book has disquieting undertones of pessimism and depression. In the story, a young person starting out in life is warned about the failures and loneliness that are bound to occur at times. Whether the picture book audience is ready for so much discouragement is doubtful.

(Copyright 1993 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)