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Title: Love, Family Absent from Book
Review: I cringe every time my son (4yrs old) has me read him this book. I hate it. The basic premise -- if you don't like where you are, get up and leave it all behind for great adventure, and when that doesn't work out, you'll have to figure it all out for yourself and then you'll be back at it, unless that doesn't work out... etc. The premise is not only flawed, it runs counter to everything I'd like him to learn: that he is surrounded by love and the support of his family and friends, and that when the going gets tough he shouldn't just leave town; he should learn to value trusted relationships to help him overcome challenges. The book has no sense of family, love, or other type of support, and while it does say "kid, you'll move mountains" it forgets to say "kid, you're well-grounded and loved" and that is a fatal error by Seuss. Also, the language (complex - "dexterous and deft") is not suitable for young readers.
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