What if Dr. Seuss Wrote About Poverty?

Although Dr. Seuss made a point of not beginning to write stories with a moral in mind, saying that "kids can see a moral coming a mile off," several of his books do speak to a variety of social and political issues.

• The Lorax, about environmentalism and anti-consumerism
• The Sneetches, about racial equality
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas, about materialism and the consumerism of Christmas
• Horton Hears a Who!, about anti-isolationism and internationalism

What might it have sounded like if Dr. Seuss had written a story about children in poverty?

Perhaps, the Sneetches or Zax would have been in on the act. Or perhaps some new peeps he called the Fweeps.

THE FLAT-TUMMY FWEEPS

Now, the Fat-Tummy Fweeps had full tummies of food, and the Flat-Tummy Fweeps had eyes that were glued, to the chowderly chow that could brighten their mood, which they had none of, and so were subdued.

Their tummies, you see, made noises at night, which is why the Flat-Tummies knew no delight. And, without any food, the Flat-Tummy Fweeps would sag, sigh and dream of ripe orange zeeps. With their snoots on the ground, snoot-snootin’ around, they’d cope and they'd hope for the end of parched throats.

As the Fat-Tummy Fweeps ate their butter and toast, while drinking clean water and wearing warm coats, they’d ask lots of questions, take copious notes, then give the poor Fweeps a boatload of totes. "Totes would be nice. Totes would be grand," said the Flat-Tummy Fweeps, "if they came with green ham."

'Tis the end of poverty — what a wonderful thing!

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Dr. Seuss book if it just focused on the sad.

No, indeed. The Cat in the Hat turned dreary, rainy days into wonderful, happy, if not misguided, adventures. Maybe the story would end like this:

To laugh with each other on Flozzle playgrounds. They’d swing and they’d sing and they’d dance in a ring, 'Tis the end of poverty — what a wonderful thing!