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Hop on Pop

3.88 of 5 stars 3.88 · rating details · 23,094 ratings · 597 reviews

Back in 1957, Theodor Geisel responded to an article in Life magazine that lamented the use of boring reading primers in schools. Using the pseudonym of "Dr. Seuss" (Seuss was Geisel's middle name) and only two hundred twenty-three words, Geisel created a replacement for those dull primers: "The Cat in the Hat." The instant success of the book prompted Geisel and his wife

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Paperback, 64 pages

Published May 1st 2003 by HarperCollins Publishers (first published 1963)

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May 03, 2012 Mike rated it 2 of 5 stars

It just didn't do it for me--no character development, no irony, no existential angst, it was almost like a children's book.

14 likes · like · see review

Feb 17, 2011 Leftbanker rated it 5 of 5 stars

Call me old fashioned but I think that there is far too much pop hopping going on in America these days. It's disgusting, possibly even revolting and then they turn around and turn it into a children's book? What's next? Leaving two unsupervised children alone with a giant cat? An elephant wedging an egg in his butt? Non-traditionally colored eggs and pork products? A Christmas-thieving scallywag? A fox wearing human undergarments? Oobleck? That just has to be filthy. Where does it end?

18 likes · like · see review

Jun 24, 2007 G.c. rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: All

Why I hate theis wonderful book.

“HOP ON POP”
by Gerard C. Smith

Come "Hop on Pop," my Lisa said
And hop of course is what she did
Her brother joined in with a jump
On Poppa’s tum he went crash-bump
Lisa hopped and hopped some more
She knocked poor Poppa to the floor
Both kids did bounce, each up and down
Poor Pop was trounced and he did frown
Now he hates that bastard T. Geisel
And hopes the rotter roasts in hell

7 likes · like · see review

Nov 13, 2008 Rfrancik rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 4-early-readers, 1-e

Full of three letter words in a unique and visually practical graphical format Hop on Pop takes the reader through several humerous story about creatures whose actions are characterized by simple phonetically repetitious words.

Hop on Pop was different from any of the other phonics readers I looked at. To begin with the story makes sense. We immediately like the characters whose expressions show an astounding range of emotion. Best of all Suess uses vocabulary an emerging reader can sound out in...more

4 likes · like · see review

Jan 25, 2013 Tyler Jones rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens-books, books-that-changed-my-life

Sometimes fiction follows a logic of its own. Sometimes this fictional logic explains the world in clearer terms than a purely “realistic” story ever could. Sometimes an author subtly injects metaphor into a narrative to illustrate a point, but occasionally the entire narrative is itself metaphorical. Take, for example, The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka in which the protagonist wakes up one morning to discover he has been turn into a big cockroach. This is not realism. If we reject the story beca...more Sometimes fiction follows a logic of its own. Sometimes this fictional logic explains the world in clearer terms than a purely “realistic” story ever could. Sometimes an author subtly injects metaphor into a narrative to illustrate a point, but occasionally the entire narrative is itself metaphorical. Take, for example, The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka in which the protagonist wakes up one morning to discover he has been turn into a big cockroach. This is not realism. If we reject the story because we do not believe such a scenario could occur in the real world, we are missing the point.

Strangely, this concept is one that adults struggle with but children accept as natural. If, in a child’s book, a cat talks it is accepted without comment. A child is a perfect reader! A child knows full well that cats do not talk – but a child instinctively knows that this is irrelevant to the truth that the book is using the talking cat to illustrate.

Let’s look at Hop on Pop, by Dr. Seuss. There are several impossibilities that occur over the books’ sixty-four pages; A mouse carries a house on it’s back and fish laze about in a tree. Do we worry that this book is teaching our young incorrect facts about the nature of mice and fish? Do we furthermore fret that this book is teaching our children to jump on their elders? We do not. Children are smart enough to distinguish between what is real and what is not. They allow a fish in a tree to exist in order to learn the concept of “in” as it relates to the fish and the tree. The fish and the tree are entertaining distracters (red herrings, if you will) that allow the child to enter a playful state of mind where learning can be achieved.

Why, as adults, do we stop reading like children? Why do some of us demand our fiction to be “believable” – that is without a taint of implausibility? All books define their own rules of existence – if we limit ourselves to realism in the belief that truth is found only there, then we are like children who will not learn the difference between up and down because we know that dogs don’t drive cars.

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3 likes · like · see review

Jan 03, 2009 Shane rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was decent. I mean,it has it moments, but you have to admit that it is somewhat over-rated when you compare it to this alleged "Dr.'s" other works. For instance, are we supposed to believe that this doctor actually wrote books that do not rise about a first-grade reading level? Come on.

3 likes · like · see review

Sep 13, 2008 Mike rated it 4 of 5 stars

At first I thought it was really sad the way the children showed such a great amount of disrespect for their father. It seems today many children "Hop on Pop" as well as mothers, aunts, uncles, cousins, and even friends in a desperate attempt to get attention in a world where so many children are ignored. As I read on, it became clear that it was not "teen angst" or "rebellion" that caused them to "Hop on Pop", but an effort to feel loved and spend quality time with dad. I would recommend "Hop o...more

7 likes · like · see review

Oct 16, 2008 Will rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone

Recommended to Will by: My Mommy

I love this book and I have read it several times. My favorite character is Will Hill, he is the one who goes up the hill. For some reason the author felt compelled to rhyme line after line, but I will not whine because this book is so very fine. There is danger- when the people playing ball fall off of the wall and when they fight all night, and there are some adult themes like when Red, Ned, Ted and Ed are in bed and when Mr. Black leaves his wife for Mr. Brown. Otherwise it is a wholesome rea...more

5 likes · like · see review

Nov 20, 2012 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

Genre: Fantasy

Review: Amazon.com Review
First published in 1963, Hop on Pop remains a perennial favorite when it comes to teaching kids to read. Here, as in most of his extensive body of work, Dr. Seuss creates uncomplicated, monosyllabic rhymes to foster learning and inspire children to read. But what was radical about this little book at the time of publication (and what makes it still compelling today) is Seuss's departure from the traditionally dull pictures and sentences used in reading prim...more

2 likes · like · see review

Sep 23, 2012 Jenni Kemling rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: animal-character, print-format, phonics, beginning-readers, first-grade, picture-book, edci-311

Summary

Hop on Pop is a children’s book written by Dr. Seuss. It takes two rhyming words in big bold letters at the top of the page and uses them in a short sentence below it. It then has bright, colorful, funny pictures below to depict what is going on in the sentence. It then goes on in later pages making slightly longer sentences as children understand the dynamic of the book and begin to understand and read the words. The illustrations have similar characters for a few pages and then they ch...more Summary

Hop on Pop is a children’s book written by Dr. Seuss. It takes two rhyming words in big bold letters at the top of the page and uses them in a short sentence below it. It then has bright, colorful, funny pictures below to depict what is going on in the sentence. It then goes on in later pages making slightly longer sentences as children understand the dynamic of the book and begin to understand and read the words. The illustrations have similar characters for a few pages and then they change after a while.

Response

Hop on Pop is an amazing children’s book because it implores many good elements of children’s books, because it has these elements of good children’s literature it deserves a four star rating. It teaches children about word usage. It shows them how words are constructed and then how words are constructed within a sentence. The picture that follows the sentence surely helps children understand what is going on even if they at first did not understand the word or sentence at first. It adds an image to the word, so that as the children read they can use it as an association. It also teaches students the vowels and how they sound such as the short “o” sounds such as the word “hop”. One thing I do not like is that the characters change frequently from pages to pages. Though, all the many characters are repeated in the story it does not seem consistently linear. It also does not have linear text. It seems to have short stories with in the book, with different characters doing different things for a few pages and then switching. It is a very original, unique, and fun book though for educating children on the basics of words.

Classroom Connection

Students can find words that use all the different type of sounds such as the short “o” mentioned in the story and make their own wall of words with these sounds. They can work in groups and collaborate to enhance their social skills, teamwork, and that way help anyone who is struggling. After collaborating the students can work on packets with lines to make sentences with their words and then a picture box below to illustrate it.

Text Complexity

The grade range of Hop on Pop is 1.1. Students should be able to read this alone in first grade within the first month. The lexile is BR, which stands for beginning reader. It is guided reading level F.
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1 like · like · see review

Jul 22, 2012 Lissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: rhyming

Hop on Pop is a wonderful way for children to learn about rhyming words. The words are basic and easy, and with lots of repetition this can be a great first book to read. The illustrations coincide with the words which clarifies the meanings of the words. The characters that Dr. Seuss uses are fun and interesting which makes this book entertaining for all.

Learning Experience:
This activity helps children recognize rhyming words and uses gross motor skills. I found this activity from the website w ...more

2 likes · like · see review

Feb 11, 2013 Kathleen Dixon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s

Well of course this wasn't the first time I've read this book - I don't know when it was first printed, but my mother had it for the grandchildren (and possibly when my brothers were small, though I don't remember it from my childhood at all). It's not one of my favourite Dr Seuss books, but it's fun enough.

I read it today to James and Zenobia as part of James' current Book Challenge (we're on to his middle name, Hugh). It's quite a fast read as it's uncomplicated and so there weren't lots of qu...more

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Sep 03, 2012 Barbara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Dr. Seuss is of course a classic, but this book is a great memory for me because it always reminded me of my dad. My family all calls my dad "pop" and it always reminds me of him. The rhyming and the creative ideas that come from his books are amazing. I will recommend Dr. Seuss to anybody at any age. No one is too old or young for these books. All great reads that are fun to collect! These Dr. Suess books are a great teaching tool for classrooms. They teach students how to rhyme, different word...more

2 likes · like · see review

Sep 01, 2007 Chicklet rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: begining readers

Shelves: picture-books

I have a funny story about a friend and this book.
A friend of mine told me that in 8th grade she was assigned the task of writing a book report. My friend noted that the teacher said nothing about the length or level of the book and took full advantage. She chose Hop on Pop. The best part is that she made her book report about parental abuse....

4 likes · like · see review

Apr 21, 2008 Austin rated it 5 of 5 stars

An ambitious exploration of social dexterity, "Hop on Pop" may be the most important book of our time. Rather than viewing Pop-hopping as rude or cruel, Seuss argues that it is a delightful, possibly necessary act.

"Hop on Pop" is the most important, timely book you will ever read. Now excuse me, I've got to find my Pop.

4 likes · like · see review

Oct 20, 2007 Robbie Bashore rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-ive-read-to-my-kids, read-more-than-once

My daughter and I had a great time with this book when she was in the very first stages of learning to read. This is probably one of the easiest of of the Dr. Seuss books. We laughed the most when we decided to say all of the words using the wrong vowel sounds e.g. "Hope on Pope" :)

2 likes · like · see review

Nov 23, 2011 Matt Guendel rated it 2 of 5 stars

This is just a typical Dr. Seuss that rhymes and doesn't have a story line. I didn't particularly like it compared to other Dr. Seuss books like Green Eggs and Ham, and the Grinch. This book rhymes about colors and clothing objects. I also read this book to Cade last weekend. He really enjoys Dr. Seuss, and I think this is a great book for young kids, judging on his personal reaction to the book. The illustrations in this book are typical to any Dr. Seuss book. I always kind of wondered why his...more

1 like · like · see review

May 23, 2008 Maria rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s-by-author-r-s

"The simplest Seuss for youngest use". Indeed. Most illustrations come in pairs with the punch-line in the second one. Gotta love a book that shows a kid aggressively biting a tiger's tail or two kids hitting one another in the head with tennis racquets. The man is a genius.

5 likes · like · see review

Sep 25, 2008 Erin rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was my absolute favorite title of a book growing up. My brother, a friend and I would jump around chanting "Hop on pop. Diddly dop." Do I remember the actual book? Not so much. But that only attests to the genius of Dr. Suess. Sure, why not.

3 likes · like · see review

Jul 31, 2008 Karla rated it 4 of 5 stars

Okay I just had to add this one, as a joke, because it's this book, and ones similar that I spend most of my time reading these days, but hey Alex loves it, and I love that he loves to hear stories, so I can't complain.

3 likes · like · see review

Sep 17, 2007 Patricia rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: 2 year olds and their parents

I am currently reading this book. And I'll be reading it again in 5 minutes. And 10 minutes after that. It is my daughter's favorite book. A special thanks to Dr. Seuss for making this book tolerable to read over and over.

4 likes · like · see review

Apr 08, 2008 Alfreda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Hop on Pop was just another one of those Dr. Seuss books that are just fun to read. Hop on Pop is just a fun book to read. They're bouncing all over the place including their dad, hints the title Hop On Pop!

3 likes · like · see review

Jan 05, 2013 Miriam rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: picture-books, read-in-2013

Not one of my favourite Dr. Seuss books, but the meandering quality of the text certainly makes it accessible to young readers and those with short attention spans. The illustrations are colourful and creative, like all Seuss books, and the characters have a charming look all their own. The language is simple but memorable, and the syllables are short enough to stick in your tongue forever. I'm not usually a big fan of books that are too short or simple, nor have I ever been, and despite my devo...more

1 like · like · see review

Jun 04, 2008 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: school-books-kid-books, beginning-readers, for-the-little-ones

Our all time favorite learn-to-read book. Deals with word families so kids start to see how it all works. And makes it easier to read since they know the ending sounds.

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 08, 2007 Megan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: formative_years

The first book I ever read. The perfect first book to read. My whole life has been perfect, all because of this book.

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 29, 2012 Aisling rated it 4 of 5 stars

Here is my second review based on Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss.
Hop on Pop is a comical story for children who are beginning to read. It uses chunks of words and then puts them into a sentence beneath which allows children to see how the word can be used. Its rhyming scheme also makes it easier for children to remember the sentences.
The colourful illustrations throughout the book appeal to the visual senses. It is the perfect book to engage young children from the start of their reading career. There...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 06, 2011 Kristi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: abdulkarim-s-books

My son absolutely loves this book. Especially now that he is at the age where he wants to know what everything is. He always is saying "No, Pat no, Don;t sit on that". Or "STOP! You must not hop on pop!" As I motion my index finger in the 'no, no, non' swaying maneuver. He loves all the sounds we make. However with the Dr, Seuss books he is always pointing at different objects and I even have a hard time explaining what exactly the picture is. But besides the 'things' in Dr. Seuss book it is tru...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 29, 2007 Margaret rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrens-books

This was one of the first books I ever learned to read.

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 09, 2007 Katie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens

An absolute nessecity on any toddler's bookshelf. :-)

2 likes · like · see review

Nov 09, 2012 Sarah Nolet rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was my favorite book when I started to learn to read. It was also the first book I read by myself so I have always had a special place for it in my heart. Reading it now though, I am able to see why I was able to read it. All of the language is repetitive and based on similar word endings. This is beneficial for kids in the younger grades, such as Kindergarten and first grade, while they are learning to recognize similar endings in words. The plot, however, lacks a clear story. This may not...more

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About Dr. Seuss

Theodor Seuss Geisel was born 2 March 1904 in Springfield, MA. He graduated Dartmouth College in 1925, and proceeded on to Oxford University with the intent of acquiring a doctorate in literature. At Oxford he met Helen Palmer, who he wed in 1927. He returned from Europe in 1927, and began working for a magazine called Judge, the leading humor magazine in America at the time, submitting both carto...more Theodor Seuss Geisel was born 2 March 1904 in Springfield, MA. He graduated Dartmouth College in 1925, and proceeded on to Oxford University with the intent of acquiring a doctorate in literature. At Oxford he met Helen Palmer, who he wed in 1927. He returned from Europe in 1927, and began working for a magazine called Judge, the leading humor magazine in America at the time, submitting both cartoons and humorous articles for them. Additionally, he was submitting cartoons to Life, Vanity Fair and Liberty. In some of his works, he'd made reference to an insecticide called Flit. These references gained notice, and led to a contract to draw comic ads for Flit. This association lasted 17 years, gained him national exposure, and coined the catchphrase "Quick, Henry, the Flit!"

In 1936 on the way to a vaction in Europe, listening to the rhythm of the ship's engines, he came up with And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, which was then promptly rejected by the first 43 publishers he showed it to. Eventually in 1937 a friend published the book for him, and it went on to at least moderate success.

During WW II, Geisel joined the army and was sent to Hollywood. Captain Geisel would write for Frank Capra's Signal Corps Unit (for which he won the Legion of Merit) and do documentaries (he won Oscar's for Hitler Lives and Design for Death). He also created a cartoon called Gerald McBoing-Boing which also won him an Oscar.

In May of 1954, Life published a report concerning illiteracy among school children. The report said, among other things, that children were having trouble to read because their books were boring. This inspired Geisel's publisher, and prompted him to send Geisel a list of 400 words he felt were important, asked him to cut the list to 250 words (the publishers idea of how many words at one time a first grader could absorb), and write a book. Nine months later, Geisel, using 220 of the words given to him published The Cat in the Hat, which went on to instant success.

In 1960 Bennett Cerf bet Geisel $50 that he couldn't write an entire book using only fifty words. The result was Green Eggs and Ham. Cerf never paid the $50 from the bet.

Helen Palmer Geisel died in 1967. Theodor Geisel married Audrey Stone Diamond in 1968. Theodor Seuss Geisel died 24 September 1991.

Also worked under the pen name:
Theo Le Sieg (less)

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Trivia About Hop on Pop

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Quotes from Hop on Pop

“Day
Play
We play all day.
Night
Fight
We fight all night.” — 181 people liked it

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