by Moe Zilla

Created on: February 24, 2009

It had been six years since Dr. Seuss wrote "If I Ran the Zoo," but it was time for an even wilder sequel. The first book was only the runner-up for a Caldecott award, and I have two theories about "If I Ran the Circus." Dr. Seuss might have thought the excitement of a circus would endear himself to the selection committee. But more likely he'd decided to ignore the awards committee altogether, and let his crazy imagination run wild!

He first introduces young Morris McGurk, who dreams of a circus behind Sneelock's Store. Sneelock will over 500 gallons of pink lemonade, and on opening night the crowd will be welcomed by "the horn-tooting apes from the Jungles of Jorn." Dr. Seuss draws dozens of funny animals, all smiling happily or closing their eyes proudly. In McGurk's mind, they're all acts in the world's greatest circus.

It makes a better story than "If I Ran the Zoo," since the animals are performing (instead of just standing in their cages). There's a walrus named Rolf (from the Ocean of Olf) who can balance himself on five game balls (for golf). In fact, Rolf is balancing himself on one hair of his whiskers - and there's a strange creature who's belly will double as a kettle drum. ("Doesn't hurt him a bit cause his drum-tummy's numb!")

Seuss dedicated the book to his father, calling him "Big Ted of Sprinfield, the finest man I'll ever know," and there's real affection in the book for the excitement of childhood. The vacant lot's fence is colored with a playful red, and Seuss talks up the magic of the circus using some very fancy fonts. The "Circus McGurkus" sign dangles from three poles under red and blue bunting, but the letters curve grandly, and there's even a pink star in the center.

And this time there's a foil for Seuss's comedy - poor Mr. Sneelock! He's imagined lugging a cauldron to feed "the remarkable Foon," and smoking his pipe while a blindfold bowman shoots an apple off his head. When the big top finally opens, "You'll see drum major Sneelock fling-flang his baton." And by the end of the book, he's transformed into "Great Daredevil Sneelock," who's carried through the air by three birds dangling a skyhook. ("And while people below are all turning chalk white... Great Sneelock soars up to a terrible height!") The crowd below him has become nothing tiny dots as he dives from over a mile into a goldfish bowl.

"Don't ask how he'll manage. That's his job. Not mine."

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