A mysterious old Once-ler tells a boy how greed destroyed a beautiful forest, and how it might come back
Who speaks for the trees?
A curious boy visits the Once-ler, a hidden figure who lives in a gloomy, polluted place. For a small payment, the Once-ler tells him what happened there long ago: the bright Truffula Trees, the creatures that lived among them, the factory he built to turn the trees into Thneeds, and the small, grumpy Lorax who tried to stop him.
Who will enjoy it
Children aged about four to nine, families and teachers looking for a memorable story about caring for nature.
What you will get
A colorful, playful and powerful picture book that teaches children about caring for the environment and taking responsibility, with a hopeful message at its end.
The Lorax Facts: Pages, Genre and Setting
Genre
Children’s Books · Environment · Rhyming · Picture book
Length
72 pages · ≈ 2 h
More about this book
The story is told by the Once-ler, whose face is never shown, only his long green arms. He describes arriving in a lovely valley full of soft, colorful Truffula Trees, where Brown Bar-ba-loots played, Swomee-Swans sang and Humming-Fish swam in the pond. He chops down a tree to knit a Thneed, a strange garment he claims everyone needs, and when it sells, he builds a factory and invites his relatives to help him produce more and more.
The Lorax appears from the stump of the first tree and speaks for the trees, warning the Once-ler again and again as the air fills with smog, the water fills with waste and the animals are forced to leave. The Once-ler keeps expanding until the very last tree falls and the business collapses. Left alone with his regrets, he finally understands the Lorax's message, and he gives the boy the last Truffula seed, with the chance to plant it and bring the forest back. Seuss's rhymes and invented words make the serious message fun to read aloud.
A classic read-aloud with a strong message. About 72 pages in hardcover.
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The Tale of Despereaux