Essay Questions

What is the message being sent by the final words of the text “Ask me tomorrow but not today?”

This book comes to a close on a very strange note in which one character is pointing to red text on a beige background set against a larger blue background in which individuals words are not separated and the result is simply a string of meaningless letters:

“seehemewe

patpuppop”

Above this is the question “What does this say?” while below is another character (or, perhaps the very same one; it is not completely clear) waving backward while heading off in the opposite direction with the request to be asked that question tomorrow, but not today. Aside from that which has just be described, there is no other clue offered to what is going on here. While not completely clear, the indication seems to one connected to the process of continued learning and reading development. The child who comes to this book is just beginning to learn how letters can be separated into smaller groups to form actual words. Even though the message on the beige background is comprised of words, the letters are connected so that they have no meaning and are not really words. This is the very process at hand and the ending seems to signify that the child who has trouble separating see and he me and we has begun to acquire the skills that will allow them to separate the gibberish into actual words perhaps by the next day or maybe in a week or perhaps not for month, but definitely soon.

What is significantly different about the layout in this book from Dr. Seuss’ narrative stories for children?

Hop on Pop does not tell a cohesive story. Within it can be found what might be called little subplots involving characters like Red, Pat and the Thing which sings. These are not really narratives either, but more quick character delineations that might be more usefully termed sketches. The purpose of the book is not to tell a story, but specifically to teach the young and newest readers how to develop skills that facilitate identifying the difference between actual words and nonsense gibberish of comprised of letters strung together. Rhyming, of course, is always essential to Seuss, but even more so at this fundamental level of learning. Therefore, each page actually commences with two words which rhyme and will be used to construct sentences. To enhance the significance of these two words, the book follows a layout pattern unique and distinct to such early learning readers. Not only are two key rhyming words introduced as a separate important element, but they are completely set off from the rest of the words on every page by being printed in all caps and in much larger size.