I Love Dr. Seuss Trivia Quiz

Answer: Marco's mom

This is Dr. Seuss's first children's book. It was published in 1937.

Each day after school, Marco's dad asks him to report on what he has seen on the way home. Hoping to invent "a story that no one can beat," the boy begins with a "broken-down horse and wagon" clip-clopping down Mulberry Street, changes the horse into a zebra, morphs the driver into a Roman charioteer, substitutes for the zebra a reindeer, than an elephant, then an elephant plus two giraffes. Marco's imaginings proliferate faster and faster until he pictures an extravaganza of creatures, riders, musicians, marchers, and spectators (all showered in bushel baskets of confetti poured from a plane) the likes of which Mulberry Street has never seen--and is never likely to see. Unfortunately, Marco cannot quite bring himself to repeat such an over-the-top fib to his stern father. Instead he admits to seeing "nothing...but a plain horse and wagon on Mulberry Street."

Answer: push Bartholomew from a turret atop the castle

This book was published in 1938.

Amid blaring trumpets, proud King Derwin and his royal entourage come galloping into town. All the townspeople bow low and doff their hats--all, that is, except poor little Bartholomew Cubbins. Of course, the boy respectfully removes his hat along with everyone else. But another hat appears upon his head--and another, and another, and another. Furious, King Derwin orders a mounted guard to scoop up Bartholomew and gallop the boy uphill to the palace (as hat after hat after hat flies from the prisoner's head). Various royal experts try in vain to get rid of the boy's bewitched headgear. When Bartholomew finally receives a death sentence, the friendly executioner explains that it's unlawful to behead people with their hats on. The King's nasty young nephew offers to push Bartholomew from the highest turret, and on the way upstairs, the hats--which Bartholomew keeps removing--grow fancier and fancier. King Derwin is so entranced by Hat Number 500, a plumed, bejeweled dazzler, that he pardons Bartholomew, spanks his nephew, and buys the hat for 500 gold pieces. Once the King lifts his purchase from Bartholomew's head, the boy is relieved to feel breezes ruffling his hair.

Answer: Mayzie

This book was published in 1940.

Mayzie bird was apparently absent the day they taught parenting. When she realizes that nesting is work, she buttonholes the first passerby--cheerful, obliging Horton the elephant--and persuades him to egg-sit. Liberated, Mayzie flaps off to Palm Beach, where she lounges contentedly in a palm tree, flaking out on her promise to return. Faithful Horton crouches manfully over his fragile little charge, enduring harsh weather, loneliness, and the cruel sneers of jungle wiseguys. When he and his egg are captured and sold to a circus, poor, steadfast Horton is laughed at by gawkers as he hunches over his nest atop his potted tree. Finally the circus comes to Palm Beach, where who should float by but lazy Mayzie, the perpetual vacationer. When the egg begins to hatch, Horton is thrilled, but Mayzie screeches that it's HERS! She gets her comeuppance when the hatchling emerges, a mini-Horton with wings! The circus folk transport daddy and elephant-bird back home in triumph.

Answer: Some hunters stuff them and display them over a mantelpiece.

This book was published in 1948.

When a Bingle Bug asks to make his home on Thidwick's antlers, the good-natured moose agrees, but soon the bug invites other creatures to join him, and Thidwick regrets his magnanimity. The hapless host becomes weighted down with "guests", including a woodpecker who gouges huge holes in his antlers, a family of squirrels who move into the holes, a hive full of bees, and a fat bear as big as the moose himself. When poor Thidwick starts to swim across the lake to forage for food, his selfish tenants forbid him to go. Next, some hunters try to shoot the moose, hoping to mount his head on their club wall. Hampered by the heavy freeloaders, Thidwick is nearly killed. But suddenly he remembers: today is antler-shedding day! Light-headed and happy, Thidwick swims across the lake to join his friends. The guests end up stuffed and mounted over the hunters' mantelpiece.

Answer: boiled owls

"Shuffle, duffle, muzzle, muff.
Fista, wista, mista-cuff.
We are men of groans and howls,
Mystic men who eat boiled owls."

This book was published in 1949.

Answer: being boiled in Beezle-Nut oil

This book was published in 1954.

When Horton hears a miniscule yelp from a dust speck, he guesses it's an SOS from tiny beings. The elephant carries the speck around on a clover blossom, inviting gossip. The Mayor of Who-ville, the speck community, soon pipes up, thanking Horton for his stewardship. Meanwhile, a mean kangaroo and her child plan to halt Horton's chats with the speck. Monkey hooligans, the Wickersham Brothers, snatch the clover and pass it to an eagle for disposal. When the eagle camouflages Horton's clover among millions of others, Horton doesn't rest until he locates his friends on the three-millionth flower. Next, the shrewish kangaroo orders the Wickershams to cage poor Horton and boil the speck in oil! At Horton's urging, the Mayor leads a Who hullabaloo to prove Who-ville is real. The Whos can't make quite enough noise until Jo-Jo Who contributes a "Yop!" Finally hearing the Whos melts the unkind kangaroo's heart. She and her child vow to join Horton as Who guardians.

Answer: the fish

This book was published in 1957.

It's pouring out and Mom's not home. A boy, his sister, and their fish are enduring a dreary afternoon when who should stride uninvited over the threshold but a giant Cat in a candy-cane chapeau. The strict fish declares that the Cat "should not be here when your mother is out!" The children simply gape helplessly as the genial feline takes over. First he hops onto a ball and performs a balancing act with assorted household items such as a birthday cake and the hapless goldfish's glass bowl full of water. When all tumbles down, the undaunted Cat introduces Thing One and Two, blue-haired, hyperkinetic weirdoes with dangerous indoor kites. Amid the chaos, the fish spies Mom returning! The boy captures the Things in a butterfly net, and the dispirited Cat exits, leaving a gargantuan mess. But wait! He's back with a cleanup contraption, and everything's tidied the instant before Mother steps through the door.

Answer: the Birthday Bird

This book was published in 1959.

As is customary in Katroo, the pleasant, competent Birthday Bird awakens a small boy on his birthday morn, greets him with the Secret Katroo Birthday Hi-Sign-and-Shake, and conducts him on a well-planned series of fantastically wacky birthday activities. The two visit such spots as the Birthday Flower Jungle, the Mustard-Off Pools (mountain hot-tubs designed to wash off the remains of lunchtime wienie roasts), and the Official Katroo Birthday Pet Reservation (to pick out "the tallest of all-est" Seussian beastie for a present). At sunset, boy and Bird gallop triumphantly up an undulating oversea ramp to the glittering arches of the Birthday Pal-alace! There the boy is serenaded by Drummers, Strummers, Zummers, and singing herrings who spell out HAPPY BIRTHDAY! After receiving a giant cake served on a tugboat, and being treated to the wildest bash in children's literature, the boy is flown home Bird Express "on a very soft platter."

Answer: a guy in a black hat

This book was published in 1960.

A grouchy, nameless character in a tall black hat is pestered by Sam-I-am (who's short, but inexhaustibly, optimistically persistent) to try green eggs and ham. The grump tells Sam--repeatedly--that he does not like the strange green fare, but insistent Sam follows his victim around, brightly proffering the dish (which he carries aloft, waiter-style). Perhaps Mr. Picky Eater would like this tasty treat if it were presented in a house with a mouse? No? How about in a box with a fox? Soon, Sam has scooped poor Black Hat onto the hood of his speeding car. Collecting various animals, they motor up a tree, onto a train, through a tunnel ("Say!... Would you, could you, in the dark?"), and onto a boat, which sinks, spilling everyone into the drink. Waterlogged and defeated, hat and ears drooping, Mr. Reluctant finally tastes the dreaded green meal. Say! He likes green eggs and ham!

Answer: a Key-Slapping Slippard

This book was published in 1965.

Our hero is plagued with troubles. He's tripping over rocks, a savage Quilligan Quail keeps nipping his tail, a giant mosquito called a Skritz keeps dive-bombing him, and a ground-dwelling Skrink keeps chomping on his toes. Fed up, he sets off on zigzagging, boulder-piled roads for a paradise called Solla Sollew "Where they never have troubles! At least, very few." Among other disasters, he braves a hurricane-force Midwinter Jicker and a pack of hungry, grinning Perilous Poozers. He dives into a tunnel to escape the Poozers, but it's crammed with an endless line of marching birds who are apparently moving all their earthly possessions from one place to another. Finally our hero nears Solla Sollew! But the utopia turns out to have one major drawback: a Key-Slapping Slippard inhabits the keyhole to the town gate, preventing anyone from entering. Solla Sollew's gatekeeper asks him along to Boola Boo Ball, but our hero chooses to return home instead. This time, however, he carries a baseball bat to show his former tormentors who's boss.