A painted triumph of imagination and positive thinking.

I don't really have anything to say about the "controversial" material in this book that was brought to our collective attention by the recent (spring 2021) kerfuffle surrounding the publisher's decision to let it go out of print.

But I would like to say that Dr. Seuss should be considered one of the great American poets and artists, and the good doctor's genius is on full display here. I was especially fond of the "thing-a-ma-jigger" at the end and the "fast-moving bloke who zips through the waves with an over-arm stroke." The illustrations, which seem to be done in a different medium than usual (watercolor?), are especially great, as is the basic premise of the story, which kind of encapsulates the essence of Seuss's work: the power and beauty of imagination.

I'm very grateful to the Lawrence (KS) Public Library for making it possible to read this book (which is now going for more than $100 in paperback on Amazon. . .). Let us be clear and acknowledge that the publisher's decision to stop printing this book is NOT equivalent to banning it, much less burning it, for heaven's sake. But let us also acknowledge that in our current climate of political correctness (Sorry, I don't know what else to call it. . .) and Twitter mobs, it does essentially amount to moving an inch or two in that direction. We need to be careful and watchful not to drift too much towards that extreme. If you don't believe me, go talk to this guy: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7...

The book opens with Marco, the protagonist from To Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, fishing in a pond on the McElligot’s farm. He’s warned that there’s nothing in the pond but junk that people have thrown away. Marco, however, takes a more fanciful outlook on the pool. After all, maybe it’s connected to the sea but a tunnel no one knows about. And, if that’s the case, you never know exactly what you could catch.

This early book from Dr. Seuss is imagination on display. The heart of the book is Marco’s fish stories, which go from the plausible to the outlandish and back again. It’s fun. The rhymes could be a bit better, and the book does feel a bit repetitive, but I remember enjoying this one as a kid, and it still has charm rereading it as an adult. This is early Dr. Seuss, so the illustrations are very detailed pen and ink, some in color and some not. Yes, this is one of the recently banned books. It is banned takes to one page that features Marco’s imaginative take on Eskimo fish. Yes, the drawings on that page are caricatures, but the entire book is filled with caricatures. They fit right in. While this isn’t one of Dr. Seuss’s best books, it is a shame that it won’t be around to spark the imagination of future generations.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.

Oh, yes, I went there. I’m glad I did, because this book is so beautifully drawn and typical Suessian written. I am enamored by this book and my only regret is that I can’t find it anymore without shelling out my meager life savings for.

I’ve honestly read this book 3 times already. Well, I had it read to me...with pictures to keep my attention. My mind wanders too much (with audiobooks), you see.

Truly, a cute little book I’d have loved to have on my shelf. Shame on me for not reading more Seuss beyond How the Grinch Stole Christmas and a bad attempt at reading The Cat in the Hat in elementary school. That book felt like it took me forever to read and with a young mind and a decidedly lack of wanting to read, it truly was forever to me in those days.

I recommend the book—if you can find it—and give it 5 stars (I am so enamored times that 5 stars by a million, plus 2).

Vocabulary sin: ...It’s Seuss, what do you think?

Fun story about an imaginative kid!

I am so grateful that I own this treasure. It will always be one of my favorites. I had to read it again just to see if I could find anything controversial about it; knowing that I wouldn’t.

But you're such a fool
If you insist on fishing
In McElligot's pool.

Even as a very little girl, I knew I had an unusual favourite Dr. Seuss book. Nobody knew McElligot's Pool, and if they knew it, they certainly didn't like it.

Despite the strangeness of and opposition to my choice, this one has always spoken to me. Its message of steadfast belief in the power of one's own self and the gentle allure of escape which this book offers, have both been irresistible and invaluable in my life, and they remain so.

There's no one who has not, at some point in his life, faced a taunting opponent to his dream. If he has not, he will. If he can take the advice of Poe or Seuss, though, and believe El Dorado is over the next mountain, or that a fish will swim into the tiny, garbage-ridden pool, his life will be so much easier and, more importantly, more beautiful.

Arguably Seuss’ most beautiful book with its vibrant watercolors and large number of imaginative fish in a small pool that leads to the sea. A (100%/Outstanding)

Dr. Seuss’s McElligot’s Pool is a masterful exploration of the boundless possibilities of imagination and the enduring tension between skepticism and wonder. Written in 1947, the book serves as a whimsical yet profoundly philosophical meditation on the power of belief and the resilience of hope in the face of doubt.

At its core, the story is deceptively simple: a young boy, Marco, sits by the seemingly barren McElligot’s Pool, casting his fishing line while an incredulous farmer mocks his optimism. Yet, within this straightforward premise lies an intricate tapestry of themes that resonates deeply with readers of all ages. Seuss weaves the narrative with his hallmark blend of playful rhyme, fantastical illustrations, and an undercurrent of earnest sincerity, inviting readers to join Marco on a mental journey that transcends the limits of the ordinary.

The narrative tension between Marco and the farmer epitomizes the perennial clash between pragmatism and imagination. The farmer’s cynicism, rooted in the pool’s unremarkable appearance, mirrors a world constrained by evidence and probability. Marco’s refusal to succumb to this perspective, however, illuminates a crucial aspect of human nature: the ability to envision the improbable and persist in the face of naysayers. His vivid descriptions of fantastical fish—such as the "fish who eats only pink ice cream" and the "dogfish that has spots like a Dalmatian dog"—are not mere flights of fancy but rather affirmations of possibility in a seemingly closed world.

Dr. Seuss’s language in McElligot’s Pool is both playful and deliberate. The rhymes carry a buoyancy that mirrors the boundless optimism of Marco’s imagination, while the illustrations reinforce the duality of the mundane and the fantastical. The stark, almost minimalist portrayal of McElligot’s Pool contrasts sharply with the riotous, surreal depictions of the undersea world Marco envisions, creating a visual metaphor for the transformative power of perspective.

From a literary standpoint, McElligot’s Pool engages with the Romantic tradition, celebrating the sanctity of individual imagination in a world dominated by empirical rationality. Marco is akin to Wordsworth’s solitary figures or Keats’s imaginative dreamers, figures who find profound meaning in the act of envisioning. Yet, Seuss adapts this Romantic ideal to a distinctly modern audience, using humor and whimsy to make such lofty ideas accessible to children while challenging adult readers to reevaluate their own relationship with wonder.

One of the book’s most intriguing aspects is its refusal to offer a definitive conclusion. The narrative does not resolve the question of whether Marco’s optimism is rewarded; instead, it leaves readers with an open-ended possibility. This ambiguity underscores a profound truth: the value of hope and imagination lies not in their outcomes but in their ability to sustain us. The act of believing in the unseen, as Marco does, becomes an act of creative resistance against the limitations imposed by reality.

Seuss’s choice to publish McElligot’s Pool during the postwar era further enriches its significance. In a time when the world grappled with rebuilding and reevaluating its future, the book’s celebration of imagination and resilience served as a quiet yet powerful reminder of humanity’s capacity to envision better possibilities.

McElligot’s Pool is far more than a children’s book; it is a timeless allegory of the human spirit. Dr. Seuss challenges readers to embrace the richness of imagination, to question the boundaries of what is possible, and to find joy in the act of dreaming. As Marco casts his line into McElligot’s Pool, so too does Seuss cast a challenge to us all: to look beyond the surface, to believe in the unseen, and to celebrate the infinite potential of the human mind. It is a story that continues to ripple through generations, inspiring us to view even the smallest pools with boundless wonder.

Recently because of some media spotlight on Dr. Seuss and his works. I decided to reread the 6 books in question and two others. But alas only had 5 of the 6 on hand. This is the first of the reviews.

Dr. Seuss is famous for his many children’s books. Books that spark the imagination. Surprise, and amaze. There is a large collection of old animated shorts based on them. And these has been several movies both animated and life action. He also wrote two books that though written and illustrated in a similar style and format are considered adult books they are The Seven Lady Godivas and The Butter Battle Book. Butter Battle is a commentary on war and is often found in the children’s sections in bookstores and libraries. Godivas I believe is long out of print, I believe the last printing was in 1988. And I am only aware of it because it is the favorite book of a friend.

I do not know a child who has not engaged with these books on some level. My youngest and my wife have a few of them memorized. And recite them to each other before bed, as much as read. My children loved the old, animated shorts, and like most of the movies. I was less fond of the live action movies but appreciate most of the animated ones. But back to this book.

In this story a young man is fishing in a small pond, young Marco has his rod and his bait. He is sitting and he waits. But a farmer comes by and states that the body of water is much to small, and just used to dump garbage. And that Marco is wasting his time. But Marco supposes that the pond connects to an underground stream. And wonders if that stream connects to a river, and out to the oceans. And because of that he imagines all kinds of fish, and creatures he might catch if he has patience.

Seuss goes crazy with fish galore!

Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Dr. Seuss.

Read it and make the Dr. Seuss Enterprise scratch their heads. A shame they are turning this into a political thing.