The Cat in the Hat and Other Dr. Seuss Favorites

Delightful packaging distinguishes the new Dr. Seuss CD audiobook, right down to imprinted graphics on the discs. The all-star cast of readers--Kelsey Grammer, Dustin Hoffman, Walter Matthau, John Cleese, and others--promises an entertaining program. Nearly a dozen Seuss stories are read with nearly as many artistic approaches. Billy Crystal is over the top; John Cleese has impeccable comic timing; Ted Danson seems unimpressed by the Lorax. But Grammer comes across best. He gets the rhymes and delivers the verse with style. His energy, like Seuss's, never flags and never seems forced. The production has an appealing, inventive combination of music and words. Have some fun with this audio--the producers did! R.F.W. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine

September 1, 2005
PreS-Gr 3 -Never has there been a more refreshing take on the Dr. Seuss stories than is presented in this collection. Bookended with Kelsey Grammer's expressive reading ofThe Cat in the Hat andThe Cat in the Hat Comes Back, these stories are expertly read by an all-star cast whose narrations are sometimes surprising, but always gratifying. Dustin Hoffman provides a host of voices that give each character a distinct sound inHorton Hears a Who . John Cleese, Ted Danson, and John Lithgow lend their considerable talents toDid I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?, The Lorax, andYertle the Turtle-Gertrude McFuzz-The Big Brag, respectively. Mercedes McCambridge, the only female reader in this collection, adds life toThidwick, the Big Hearted Moose, while Billy Crystal provides rollicking narration forHorton Hatches the Egg . While all of these stories are extremely well done and fun to listen to, the one that stands out from all of the rest is Walter Matthau's reading ofHow the Grinch Stole Christmas . Known for playing miserly, grumpy men, Matthau intones those same feelings into his unforgettable reading, giving former Grinch narrator Boris Karloff a run for his money. A truly fantastic production that deserves a place in every collection.Veronica Schwartz, Des Plaines Public Library, IL

Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.