Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! (2008) Review

Everyone has a favorite Dr Seuss story. This is mine. As a parent I learned to appreciate some of the Seuss stories I missed as child, but this one remains at the top of my list. For several years I even quoted the opening lines in my email signature. I guess it is probably my favorite children's story of all time from any author and it is hard for me to single out a favorite in any category. So, this was the first children's cartoon for which I've made it to opening night since my kids were young. I was not disappointed.

Narrated by Charles Osgood, this film pays homage to the original story while putting in new things that relate it to contemporary times. It has everything. Good animation, humor for the kids and humor for the parents, a great message, in fact several of them and the young ones in the audience were totally captivated. In Horton's day dreams there was even a little anime'-esqe cartoonery. The friend that I dragged was glad that I did. I noticed that Audrey Giesel was credited as a producer.

I once read that Theodore Seuss Geisel had been asked what he considered to be his greatest accomplishment and he said that it was to get Dick and Jane out of the public school system, "See Dick Run" replaced with the vision and imagination in Dr Seuss' stories. Dr Seuss gave wings to children's imagination sometimes there were amazing values and sometimes it was just sharing or fun. What a gift he gave to our children!