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This was my favorite book when I was a child. I read it over and over again, memorizing every line, and taking in every lesson about vanity that Dr Seuss was teaching. As an adult I found a whole new appreciation for the book, as I learned that the character of Yertle was based on Adolph Hitler. Seuss used Yertle to demonstrate the rise of fascism in Europe, and show is distaste for it. In the final lines of the story Seuss's true intent comes out as he proclaims that all turtles and every creat...more
Great stories by Dr. Seuss that are relevant to adults as well as children. The concepts of not making yourself better at the expense of others and the idea that you are not necessarily better than someone else or that you should be happy with who you are are fundamental lessons everyone should take to heart.
This book is hilariously woderful. XD
Author/Illustrator: Dr Seuss
First Published: 1959
Three stories with Dr Seuss's unique style of rhyme, rhythm, creativity, and light morality.
Yertle the Turtle - Supposedly a parallel with Hitler's despotic rule, Yertle gains prominence by standing (literally) on the backs of his turtles.
Gertrude McFuzz - Gertrude wants what Lolla-Lee-Lou has; a play on the beauty myth, being something you're not, and envy.
The Big Brag - Spending all your time saying you're better doesn't get any work done.
Dr Seu...more
First Published: 1959
Three stories with Dr Seuss's unique style of rhyme, rhythm, creativity, and light morality.
Yertle the Turtle - Supposedly a parallel with Hitler's despotic rule, Yertle gains prominence by standing (literally) on the backs of his turtles.
Gertrude McFuzz - Gertrude wants what Lolla-Lee-Lou has; a play on the beauty myth, being something you're not, and envy.
The Big Brag - Spending all your time saying you're better doesn't get any work done.
Dr Seu...more
Another collection of Seuss short stories.
Yertle the Turtle- Yertle uses the other turtles in his pond to build a throne so that he may see more sights and proclaim himself ruler over all that he sees. A small turtle named Mack on the bottom of the stack objects, but Yertle keeps building his throne higher and higher. When threatened by the moon in the sky, Yertle is just about to call for more turtles when poor Mack on the very bottom burps and sends Yertle falling straight down into the mud. F...more
Yertle the Turtle- Yertle uses the other turtles in his pond to build a throne so that he may see more sights and proclaim himself ruler over all that he sees. A small turtle named Mack on the bottom of the stack objects, but Yertle keeps building his throne higher and higher. When threatened by the moon in the sky, Yertle is just about to call for more turtles when poor Mack on the very bottom burps and sends Yertle falling straight down into the mud. F...more
These three stories all deal with pride.
Yertle ruled the pond. But he wanted a bigger kingdom so he had the other turtle lift him up. The higher he went, the larger the kingdom he had to rule. Those on the bottom began to complain about the work involved in keeping Yertle up. Yertle was not complimentary.
Eventually, the tower of turtles collapsed. Yertle is now king of mud. :)
Apparently ol' Dr. Seuss wrote this about Adolph Hitler. Interesting . . .
Next up was the vain Gertrude McFuzz who wan...more
Yertle ruled the pond. But he wanted a bigger kingdom so he had the other turtle lift him up. The higher he went, the larger the kingdom he had to rule. Those on the bottom began to complain about the work involved in keeping Yertle up. Yertle was not complimentary.
Eventually, the tower of turtles collapsed. Yertle is now king of mud. :)
Apparently ol' Dr. Seuss wrote this about Adolph Hitler. Interesting . . .
Next up was the vain Gertrude McFuzz who wan...more
What makes a children's story a complete book? When can it stand alone and when does it belong in an anthology? Sometimes the mechanicals of publication pull tales together in a collection. Other times, an author might publish a series of short stories to view the same theme from a different perspective. I suspect a little of both in Dr. Seuss' Yertle the Turtle and Other Short Stories.
These stories were originally copyrighted by the McCall Corporation in 1950 and 1951, with the copyright revert...more
These stories were originally copyrighted by the McCall Corporation in 1950 and 1951, with the copyright revert...more
Well, he certainly had an interest in sharing political views. Whether this is good or bad depends, I guess, on whether you agree with him. He did it in a way that's not too preachy or annoying, that's a point in his favor.
Here we have three stories, whose names I don't care to remember at this time. (The book is visiting Grandma with my nieces, so I have to post from memory. Forgive me.)
In the first one - Yertle the Turtle! - we have a grandiose turtle king who insists on stacking all the turtl...more
Here we have three stories, whose names I don't care to remember at this time. (The book is visiting Grandma with my nieces, so I have to post from memory. Forgive me.)
In the first one - Yertle the Turtle! - we have a grandiose turtle king who insists on stacking all the turtl...more
Dec 13, 2008
Samantha Penrose
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
everyone!
Shelves:
kids-books
Be kind to others.
Be happy with yourself just the way you are. Dont try to be someone you are not. Dont be greedy.
Be humble.
I just LOVELOVELOVE this one! I cant believe that I dont own a copy!
Be happy with yourself just the way you are. Dont try to be someone you are not. Dont be greedy.
Be humble.
I just LOVELOVELOVE this one! I cant believe that I dont own a copy!
Aug 04, 2007
Shala Howell
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
childrens-books
Stories are still a bit on the long side for my 4 month old, but she's a trooper and stayed with me until almost the end of the Yertle the Turtle story -- fidgeting only when the story became, in her opinion, two pages too long. This is one we'll definitely pull off the shelf again when she's older.
This one is another Seuss gem, though not quite on par with Horton and Places, in my opinion. I read "Yertle the Turtle" to my students and they came up with "Don't be greedy" and "Treat others like you want to be treated" as morals of the story. Fun and short.
Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah!
I love it when Dr. Seuss gets preachy.
Now, I know my fair share of Dr. Seuss books, but for some reason I'd never heard of Yertle the Turtle until a colleague of mine said I should read it when I teach governments next year.
To that colleague: thanks a lot. I just might do that. In fact, I might do that this year as a little review.
Yertle is the absolute monarch defined. It's his power becoming absolute and corrupting. It's his greed. It's his fall from the top.
He can be ha...more
I love it when Dr. Seuss gets preachy.
Now, I know my fair share of Dr. Seuss books, but for some reason I'd never heard of Yertle the Turtle until a colleague of mine said I should read it when I teach governments next year.
To that colleague: thanks a lot. I just might do that. In fact, I might do that this year as a little review.
Yertle is the absolute monarch defined. It's his power becoming absolute and corrupting. It's his greed. It's his fall from the top.
He can be ha...more
Yertle the turtle, the King of Salama-Sond wanted to see far away and thought he should sit up higher. So Yertle the turtle stacked up the other turtles underneath him to see far far away. But he kept wanting the tower to be higher so he stacked up more turtles making the weight at the bottom even greater until the little turtle at the very bottom couldn't take it anymore. Yertle the Turtle sees the moon higher than he and barks that there must be more turtle to stack up. Until, the tower collap...more
Genre: Picture Book
Age Level: Tansitional; Grades 3 and up
World View: Not Limited to any class or color
Theme: Greed and Social Importance
Literary Elements: The classical AA BB rhyme scheme from doctor Seuss.
In the Classroom: Fun for poetry, and teaches students the importance of any position in life they have. No matter their place in life, everything they can have a larger effect on life.
Illustrations: funny and fitting. Seuss creates a great atmosphere for putting Yertle up on his greedy ped...more
Age Level: Tansitional; Grades 3 and up
World View: Not Limited to any class or color
Theme: Greed and Social Importance
Literary Elements: The classical AA BB rhyme scheme from doctor Seuss.
In the Classroom: Fun for poetry, and teaches students the importance of any position in life they have. No matter their place in life, everything they can have a larger effect on life.
Illustrations: funny and fitting. Seuss creates a great atmosphere for putting Yertle up on his greedy ped...more
Red Hot Chili Peppers / Yertle the Turtle
There are three Suess fables in this book. I read the first and last and will have to go back and finish the book. The moral of the stories seem to be about not being snobbish, or a bragger ...
Yertle wanted to be "king of the pond" but instead ended up in the mud. Dr. Suess really does a good job of getting a message across in a funny, fantastical way!
There are three Suess fables in this book. I read the first and last and will have to go back and finish the book. The moral of the stories seem to be about not being snobbish, or a bragger ...
Yertle wanted to be "king of the pond" but instead ended up in the mud. Dr. Suess really does a good job of getting a message across in a funny, fantastical way!
Age: 4-8
Genre: Picture book
Diversity: Differences
Illustrations: Typical Dr. Seuss drawings with limited use of color.
Personal Response: I love Yertle the Turtle and enjoy The Big Brag, but my favorite story in this book is Gertrude McFuzz. I think that in light of the current debate about role models for girls and the unattainability of photo-shopped perfection the idea that one should be happy with what one is born with is important.
Curriculum: All three stories in this book could be used in co...more
Genre: Picture book
Diversity: Differences
Illustrations: Typical Dr. Seuss drawings with limited use of color.
Personal Response: I love Yertle the Turtle and enjoy The Big Brag, but my favorite story in this book is Gertrude McFuzz. I think that in light of the current debate about role models for girls and the unattainability of photo-shopped perfection the idea that one should be happy with what one is born with is important.
Curriculum: All three stories in this book could be used in co...more
"And the turtles, of course... all the turtles are free
As turtles and, maybe, all creatures should be."
I just read this for the first time with my three year old. A terrific story about a power hungry/authoritarian turtle (reportedly based on Hitler) and his desire to be king of the world, his power stopped by a burp from another turtle named Mack, that sends Yertle toppling from his mighty turtle throne, becoming instead of King of the Turtles or King of the World, King of the Mud. Very cute an...more
As turtles and, maybe, all creatures should be."
I just read this for the first time with my three year old. A terrific story about a power hungry/authoritarian turtle (reportedly based on Hitler) and his desire to be king of the world, his power stopped by a burp from another turtle named Mack, that sends Yertle toppling from his mighty turtle throne, becoming instead of King of the Turtles or King of the World, King of the Mud. Very cute an...more
Okay, dr. seuss books are very fun to read. especially the rhyming and the funny instances of the story. this book features three stories:
Yertle the Turtle: which basically means that it's bad to flaunt that you're above others (even though you're not).
Gertrude mcFuzz: about vanity and accepting oneself for who we are rather than trying to change ourselves for an image that does not suit us.
The Big Brag: bragging is bad.
All of dr. seuss books are very touching with humor all over. i like the ul...more
Yertle the Turtle: which basically means that it's bad to flaunt that you're above others (even though you're not).
Gertrude mcFuzz: about vanity and accepting oneself for who we are rather than trying to change ourselves for an image that does not suit us.
The Big Brag: bragging is bad.
All of dr. seuss books are very touching with humor all over. i like the ul...more
This book could be used with students to discuss how they should treat others, such as whether it is nice to yell at friends. Yertle is not treating others very respectfully throughout this book, so students could be asked specifically whether they think his actions are appropriate or not.
There is a lot of rhyming throughout this book that can be pointed out to students, during readings.
This book can be read with students to show them how characters can be developed in stories. They can then pra...more
There is a lot of rhyming throughout this book that can be pointed out to students, during readings.
This book can be read with students to show them how characters can be developed in stories. They can then pra...more
This is a fable book about a king turtle which have everything she wanted. This book gives a message about that depend of the opportunities and responsabilities we have in our lives the more we can see and do. But children need to be careful with their friends because some children come from different economic resources and may be private of everything they need to live well.
Learning experience: Each child can make a list of what they would like to have in their home. And why they think they can...more
Learning experience: Each child can make a list of what they would like to have in their home. And why they think they can...more
This book contains three stories:
Yertle the Turtle , a story about a turtle king whose ambitions turn a little too high; Gertrude McFuzz , who is jealous of her friend's tail and gets herself into a mess because of it, and The Big Brag , a story about two animals who argue about who is best, ending with a very wise worm.
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The message of these stories is to be content with what you are and have—that you are special the way you are and that there's no need to do silly things or to argue about it....more
Yertle the Turtle , a story about a turtle king whose ambitions turn a little too high; Gertrude McFuzz , who is jealous of her friend's tail and gets herself into a mess because of it, and The Big Brag , a story about two animals who argue about who is best, ending with a very wise worm.
---
The message of these stories is to be content with what you are and have—that you are special the way you are and that there's no need to do silly things or to argue about it....more
Surely "'bout two hundred" stacked turtles should make it into the GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS.... And Yertle had the single-minded vision to ensure his record was nearly uncontestable by stacking "'bout five thousand, six hundred and seven" turtles. Focus and determination such as this is are admirable qualities which should be encouraged in our children so they can all become elite sportspeople and entrepreneurs...
Wait... that was the moral that everyone else is talking about isn't it?
As us...more
Wait... that was the moral that everyone else is talking about isn't it?
As us...more
Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories has three short stories, one against fascism, one against jealousy and one against bragging. The two my kids enjoy reading most are the first and third, "Yertle the Turtle" and "The Big Brag."
Back when Theodor Geisel was working as a political cartoonist, he drew an anti Hitler cartoon showing a stack of turtles in a V-shape. The caption said "You can't build a substantial V out of turtles!" You can see it reproduced in Dr. Seuss Goes to War by by Richard H. M...more
Back when Theodor Geisel was working as a political cartoonist, he drew an anti Hitler cartoon showing a stack of turtles in a V-shape. The caption said "You can't build a substantial V out of turtles!" You can see it reproduced in Dr. Seuss Goes to War by by Richard H. M...more
I loved the book. I am buying Dr. Suess books for my great nieces and nephews for Christmas and other special times. I loved this book because it had a special meaning to me at a particular time in my life...it was really funny to me then, and I still enjoy it. I enjoy all of Dr. Suess's books and he has many, many, many of them. I sometimes think that I enjoy them as much as my great nieces and nephews will. Face it, I am a kid at heart!
I downloaded this to my Nook Tablet last night in preparation for my Dr. Seuss-themed sermon today. The edition of the book I purchased is designed for the Nook Tablet and has a selection where it is read outloud by a professional while each word is highlighted as it is read. The pictures are also enhanced, not animated, but enlarged as the story is being read. Pretty cool, if you ask me. All of this for only $1.99 on the Nook Tablet.
My brief review of Yertle the Turtle: http://ow.ly/2EXcd
A great blog post on the Lessons Learned from Dr. Seuss: http://sourcesofinsight.com/2010/02/2...Dr. SeussYertle the Turtle and Other Stories
A great blog post on the Lessons Learned from Dr. Seuss: http://sourcesofinsight.com/2010/02/2...Dr. SeussYertle the Turtle and Other Stories
Several short stories that are fun to read to your kids! I think I enjoyed them just as much as my kids. They were also good little stories to jump off of into a spiritual conversation with my 5 year old. She picked up on the wrong attitudes of the characters and we were able to have good discussion on what they should have done to please God. Fun, light reading that can lead to some serious conversation with your kids!
Yertle is about a turtle who wants to control everything and learns that he cannot stand on other people to get his way. Gertrude learns how she can be happy with what she has and doesn't need a lot of feathers to be special. The Big Brag shows how everyone is special and that you should not brag because everyone is good at something. All of these are great lessons for kids to learn about accepting themselves.
I read Yertle the Turtle as an adult. It was a metaphor(OK maybe loosely)for a society in which it's peoples are forced to do something that they not only don't want to do,but something that is hurtful. i.e. the turtles had to hoist themselves upon one anothers backs one at a time. And it hurt them, physically and emotionally. I don't remember the end but, being Dr. Seuss,there was a moral,and it ended happily.
Lisa Simpson once seriously - but hilariously - said, "And please don't deprive yourselves of wonderful books like ... 'Yertle the Turtle' -- possibly the best book ever written on the subject of turtle stacking." Ever since I saw that episode, years ago, I've wanted to read Yertle the Turtle, not so much for the sake of reading it, but to better appreciate the Simpsons joke. Well, I just read the book, and indeed my appreciation for the joke has increased.
It's a cute story about a turtle, king...more
It's a cute story about a turtle, king...more
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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
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“And the turtles, of course...all the turtles are free, as turtles and, maybe, all creatures should be.”
—
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