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Horton Hears a Who! is a children's book written and illustrated by Theodor Seuss Geisel under the pen name Dr. Seus s. It was published in 1954 by Random House (Seuss). This book tells the story of Horton the Elephant and his treacherous adventures saving Whoville, a tiny planet located on a small speck of dust, from the evil 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. Written in the typical Dr. Seuss rhyme pattern, Horton Hears a Who! displays his engaging and captivating sketches (Child and Adolescent Literature).

“A person’s a person, no matter how small,” is the most popular line from Horton Hears a Who! and also serves as the major moral theme that Dr. Seuss successfully conveys to his audience (Altschuler, Glenn C., and Patrick M. Burns). Horton endures harassment to ensure the safety and care for the Whos who represent the insignificant. Horton Hears a Who! has been well-received in libraries, schools, and homes across the world. Although not one of Dr. Seuss’s most famed works, there still has been a Broadway musical production and an American film that follows Horton and his story of saving Whoville (IMDb) (Jones).

Background

Geisel began work on Horton Hears a Who! in the fall of 1953. It is his second book to feature Horton the Elephant with the first being Horton Hatches the Egg. The Whos would later reappear in How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The book's main theme, "a person's a person no matter how small", was Geisel’s reaction to his visit to Japan, where the importance of the individual was an exciting new concept. Geisel, who had harbored strong anti-Japan sentiments before and during World War II, changed his views dramatically after the war and used this book as an allegory for the American post-war occupation of the country. His comparison of the Whos and the Japanese was a way for him to express his willingness for companionship (Gopnik). Geisel strived to relay the message that the Japanese should be valued equally especially in a stressful post-war era (Gopnik).

Genre/Style

Horton Hears a Who! is a fictional children’s book. Similar to the majority of Dr. Seuss’s books, he maintained his consistent rhyme scheme and appealing sketches in Horton Hears a Who! (Tonguette). There are only four colors found in the book- black, white, orange, and blue. This is somewhat unconventional for Dr. Seuss whose books usually use a more energetic and expanded color scheme (Child and Adolescent Literature). Ultimately, it is his intricate and thoughtful rhymes along with his niche illustrations that define his work (Tonguette).

Analysis/Reception (cite a date or something else to indicate recentness)

Dr. Seuss is a critically acclaimed children’s literature author and a celebrated artist. Professor Donald Pease, a Professor of English at Dartmouth University, sees Dr. Seuss’s stories as a "quasi-utopian space in which belief in peace, social equality, and democratic participation could be re-animated (Altschuler, Glenn C., and Patrick M. Burns)."

Horton Hears a Who! contains a simple yet powerful message to its readers: “a person’s a person, no matter how small.” This eight-word phrase has sparked much discussion and analysis of the moral implications and societal effects. For teachers and parents, this phrase proves as a teaching point to the young readers that equality and care should be given to everyone regardless of size, stature, or any other factor (Child and Adolescent Literature). Older children and teenagers are reminded that the smallest voices can have the largest impact (Child and Adolescent Literature).

Horton’s journey in saving Who-ville allows for a restructuring of the social norm because it lets its audience know that anyone can make a difference, regardless if you think you have clout or standing (Child and Adolescent Literature). This Dr. Seuss children’s book unites two polar opposite worlds through Horton’s determination, integrity, faithfulness, and bravery (Rigby).

Horton Hears a Who! has received high praise for the moral message Dr. Seuss exemplifies through Horton the Elephant. A 2002 news article in the Sante Fe Reporter details comedic performer Susan Jayne Weiss saying, “Horton is the ultimate metaphor for believing in yourself, your mission and what you know to be true, against societal prescriptions to the contrary ("HORTON HEARS A WHO; by Dr. Seuss.").” Professor Witherington at the Asbury Theological Seminary applauds Dr. Seuss for his work in the characterization of Horton as the elephant fights to show the other animals that even the small people are people deserving of respect and love (Witherington). Additionally, Witherington commended Dr. Seuss for his disdain for cynicism while proving that the imagination can solve life’s troubles (Witherington).

Publication

Horton Hears a Who! was published on August 28, 1954, by Random House Children’s Books which is a division of the publishing company Random House (Seuss). There are four formats of the book that exist including a hardcopy version, a paperback version, an ebook version, and an audio version (“Horton Hears a Who!: and Other Horton Stories.”). There are several editions of the hardcopy version including a party edition and a 65th-anniversary edition. Dr. Seuss has sold hundreds of millions of copies in over thirty languages of his well-known children’s books, which includes Horton Hears a Who! (“Horton Hears a Who!: and Other Horton Stories.”). As of April 2020, Horton Hears a Who! is in the top 100 sellers in the “Children’s Classics” category on Amazon (“Horton Hears a Who!: and Other Horton Stories.”).

Adaptations in Other Media


 * Stage

The story, along with Horton Hatches the Egg, also provides the basic plot for the Broadway musical Seussical with “the biggest blame fool in the jungle of Nool,” Horton the Elephant, as the main protagonist (Jones). Seussical debuted on November 30, 2000, at the famed Richard Rodgers Theatre with high expectations (Jones). The music in the play was written by Tony Award winners Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (Jones). Unfortunately, the show flopped and eventually closed six months later on May 20, 2001 (McKinley). Known as one of “Broadway's biggest losers,” Seussical lost an estimated 11 million dollars (McKinley). During its time on Broadway, Seussical’s Kevin Chamberlin was nominated for one Tony Award (Best Actor in a Musical) (McKinley).


 * Television Special 4 edits

Horton Hears a Who! was adapted into a half-hour animated TV special by MGM Animation/Visual Arts in 1970. It was directed by Chuck Jones, produced by Theodor Geisel, and was narrated by Hans Coried, who also voiced Horton. The Sour Kangaroo's name is Jane while her son is named Junior. Horton's contact in Whoville was not the Mayor, but a scientist named Dr. Hoovie (also voiced by Hans Conried). Jane was voiced by June Foray. Dr. Seuss was awarded a Peabody Award for the animated special Horton Hears a Who! (“Accolades and Honors.”).


 * Film

Horton Hears a Who! was adapted into a computer-animated feature-length film of the same name in 2008, using computer animation from Blue Sky Studios, the animation arm of 20th Century Fox. The cast included Jim Carrey and Steve Carell. It was released on March 14, 2008. The hit movie received 18 award nominations including a Kids’ Choice Award, Golden Schmoes Award, and Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films (IMDb). The film also won the  American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers Award at the ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards show (“ASCAP HONORS TOP FILM AND TELEVISION MUSIC COMPOSERS AND	SONGWRITERS AT 24TH ANNUAL AWARDS CELEBRATION.”).