Dr. Seuss Quotes

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Dr. Seuss quotes are perfect for so many different situations. Not only was Dr. Seuss a brilliant children’s book author, he is also a profound philosopher. I’ve collected over 50 of my favorite Dr. Seuss quotes sharing life’s wisdom from 21 of his books.

Often people are confused by the spelling and search for “Dr. Suess quotes” or “Doctor Seuss quotes.” Whether a misspelling or the correct spelling, “Dr. Seuss quotes” brought you here, I hope you find these quotes as inspirational as I do.

I vividly remember how much I enjoyed reading Dr. Seuss books when I was young. More recently, I’ve created precious memories by sharing Dr. Seuss books with my three children. I’ve always appreciated the insights into life that Dr. Seuss shares in many of his books, including children’s books. Dr. Seuss quotes on “being who you are” are particularly popular.

Dr. Seuss Quotes – Be Who You Are

• “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”  – Happy Birthday to You
• “A person’s a person, no matter how small.” – Horton Hears a Who
• “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…” – Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
• “Be who you are and say what you mean. Because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” – Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
• “The Sneetches got really quite smart on that day. The day they decided that Sneetches are Sneetches. And no kind of Sneetch is the best on the beaches.”  – The Sneetches and Other Stories

Dr. Seuss Quotes

Not only are Dr. Seuss’s stories inspirational and timeless, but the Dr. Seuss quotes contained in them pertain to so many different life situations. Just as his writing style uses simple language to share complex stories, Dr. Seuss quotes use seemingly simple ideas to explain much deeper life lessons.

I chose to share these more than 50 Dr. Seuss quotes by categorizing them by the book that contains them. Even the simplest of his books contain nuggets of wisdom. Take your time, and savor every single Dr. Seuss quote.

The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins

• It was a mighty view and it made King Derwin feel mighty important.
• It was a mighty view, but it made Bartholomew Cubbins feel mighty small.
• But neither Bartholomew Cubbins, nor King Derwin himself, nor anyone else in the Kingdom of Didd could ever explain how the strange thing happened. They could only say it just “happened to happen” and was not very likely to happen again.

ABC

• Silly Sammy Slick sipped six sodas and got sick sick sick.

Bartholomew and the Oobleck

• “I mean,” said Bartholomew, “This is all your fault! Now, the least you can do is say the simple words, ‘I’m sorry.'”  
• “Boy, don’t you dare tell me what I can or cannot have! Remember, Bartholomew, I am the King!” “I know, Sire,” said Bartholomew. “You rule all the land. And you rule all the people. But even kings can’t rule the sky.”

The Cat in the Hat

• “I know it is wet and the sun is not sunny, But we can have Lots of good FUN that is FUNNY”
• “Look at me! Look at me now! It is fun to have fun, but you have to know how.”
• “And this mess is so big, And so deep and so tall. We cannot pick it up. There’s no way at all!”
• “He should not be here, ” said the fish in the pot. “He should not be here when your mother is not.” 

Green Eggs and Ham

•  “I do not like green eggs and ham I do not like them Sam-I-Am.”
• “Try them, try them, and you may! Try them and you may, I say.” 

Happy Birthday to You

• “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” 

Horton Hatches the Egg

• “I meant what I said and I said what I meant. An elephant’s faithful one-hundred percent!” 

Horton Hears a Who

• “…I’ve got to protect them. I’m bigger than they.” So he plucked up the clover and hustled away.
• “A person’s a person, no matter how small.”
• “So, open your mouth, lad! For every voice counts!”

How the Grinch Stole Christams

• Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more! 
• And what happened then? Well…in Who-ville they say that the Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes that day!

I Can Read with My Eyes Shut

• The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.
• You’ll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut.

If I Ran the Zoo

• “Yes.. That’s what I do,” Said young Gerald McGrew.  “I’d make a few changes If I ran the zoo. ”

The Lorax

• Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.
• “It’s not about what it is, it’s about what it can become.”
• “I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees. I speak for the trees for the trees have no tongues.” 

Oh, The Places You’ll Go

• You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left.
• You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So… get on your way!
• So be sure when you step, Step with care and great tact. And remember that life’s A Great Balancing Act. And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed) Kid, you’ll move mountains.
• You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…
• If you keep your eyes open enough, oh, the stuff you will learn. Oh, the most wonderful stuff.
• All alone! Whether you like it or not, alone is something you’ll be quite a lot!
• Be who you are and say what you mean. Because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.

Oh, The Thinks You Can Think!

• There are so many thinks that a Thinker can think!
• Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!

On Beyond Zebra

• Oh, the things you can find If you don’t stay behind!
• It’s high time you were shown, That you really don’t know, All there is to be known.

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

• Today is gone. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.
• From there to here, and here to there, funny things are everywhere.
• A book is just like life and anything can change.

The Sneetches and Other Stories

• The Sneetches got really quite smart on that day. The day they decided that Sneetches are Sneetches. And no kind of Sneetch is the best on the beaches. 
• Those stars weren’t so big. They were really so small / You might think such a thing wouldn’t matter at all.

There’s a Wocket in My Pocket

• All those Nupboards in the Cupboards they’re good fun to have about. But that Nooth gush on my tooth brush…..Him I could do without.
• Some are friendly, Some are NOT.

What Pet Should I Get?

• If we do not choose, we will end up with NONE.
• “I will do it right now. I will do it!” I said. “I will make up the mind
  that is up in my head.”

Yertle the Turtle and Gertrude McFuzz

• “Down here below, we are feeling great pain.
  I know, up on top you are seeing great sights,
  But down at the bottom we, too, should have rights.”
• And the turtles, of course…all the turtles are free, as turtles and, maybe, all creatures should be. 

You’re Only Old Once

• HAVE YOU ANY IDEA HOW MUCH MONEY THESE TESTS ARE COSTING YOU?
• “hen at last we are sure, You’ve been properly pilled, Then a few paper forms, Must be properly filled. So that you and your heirs, May be properly billed.
• You’re in pretty good shape for the shape you are in.

More Dr. Seuss Activities

• I Spy Printable – Dr. Seuss
• Dr. Seuss Word Search
• Dr. Seuss Books Scavenger Hunt
• Dr. Seuss Crafts, Printables and More
• Easy Dr. Seuss Costume – The Sneetches
• Lorax Truffula Trees Craft
• Dr. Seuss Printables

Dr. Seuss Book Collections

I’m sure you’ve found several (if not all) of these Dr. Seuss quotes to be inspirational. I know that I do every single time I read through them. Be sure to pin for later, for the unexpected situations where a Dr. Seuss quote will be just right.

For more Dr. Seuss activities, games, and printables see the table below. You can scroll though the table and look for ideas or search for specific ideas with the magnifying glass in the upper right-hand corner (on desktop). Click on the topic and then click through the specific article.