scribble, scribble, scribble…

…in 1904, Theodor Seuss Geisel was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. I think if I had to pick a favorite Dr. Seuss book—like, if I were tied to a chair with electrodes clamped to my nether-parts, and severe-looking men were slapping me repeatedly and with great gusto, snarling, “Tell us what your favorite Dr. Seuss book is!”—I would go with There’s a Wocket in my Pocket.

The brief Wikipedia entry for the book reveals, disturbingly, that: “The 1996 republish has been edited to remove some of the scarier creatures, including the vug under the rug.” Which, the atrocious use of “republish” as a noun notwithstanding, is just saddening and maddening. The vug was scary! It was also my favorite part of the book. I mean, the whole thing falls apart without the vug.

If I had to pick a second-place Seuss, then it would become tougher, especially with the snarling and slapping and electrodes. But, tempting as it would be to choose a classic like The Cat in the Hat or Green Eggs and Ham, or a lesser-known title like Hop on Pop or Marvin K. Mooney, Will You Please Go Now?, I’d have to go with The Sneetches and Other Stories.

It was close—I’m awfully fond of Marvin K. Mooney—but Sneetches includes “Too Many Daves,” the story of Mrs. McCave, sort of a female George Foreman who had 23 sons and named them all Dave. Heavy stuff. Note also that the walking pants in “What Was I Scared Of?” are, like the vug, awesomely freaky.

Feel free to share your favorite Seuss works in the comments, or just to gripe about the devugging.