"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."
— Dr. Seuss
Yes, even an artist like Dr. Seuss can tug at the reader’s heartstrings.
- The Sad Dad from "Hop on Pop". He's seen sitting in his chair looking dejected.Dad is sad. Very very sad. He had a bad day. What a day Dad had.
- "The Lorax" is quite a sad book. First, the brown barbaloots ("[They] now have the crummies"), then the swommee swans ("They can't sing a note"), then the humming fish ("No more can they hum for their gills are all gummed") are sent away, the very last Truffula tree is cut down, the Once-Ler's family leaves him and the Lorax leaves as well, but not before leaving a small pile or rocks with the word "Unless" on it and the Once-Ler is left to worry while his buildings fall apart. That's dark for a kids' book.
- The sad parts of "Oh, the Places You'll Go". When the boy "plays lonely games he can't win 'cause he plays against himself", gets his balloon caught on a tree and gets into "a Slump".
- Seeing Thidwick's guests get stuffed at the end of "Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose". Sure, they were a bit bratty but they hardly deserved death of all things. Doubles as Nightmare Fuel.
- Horton's frantic search through the clover field, especially when he's described as "more dead than alive", and afterwards, seeing Whoville in destruction when the clover is found.
- And speaking of Horton, he is a big Woobie (literally too as he is big) in "Horton Hatches the Egg". He gets sad while in the rain, gets seasick in the boat, and gets bored at the circus.
- Seeing Sally and her brother bored sitting on the chairs on a rainy day. Thankfully, the Cat in the Hat comes and livens things up.
- Even without knowing why he hates Christmas, the Grinch still lives alone, aside from his dog, and even the narrator quickly dismisses him, encouraging you not to think too much about why the Grinch might be in a foul mood all the time. The poor old guy comes off as being bitter because he feels left out.
- Santy Claus, why? Why are you taking our Christmas tree? Why?
- You can't help but feel sorry for all the turtles that are under Yertle the Turtle. Especially Mack, who's right at the very bottom. It hurts them and they get bored. This just makes it all the more satisfying when Mack inadvertently gives Yertle his comeuppance by burping and sending him tumbling down.
- When the Plain-Belly Sneetches were never allowed to go to the frankfurter roasts, picnics, parties etc all because they have no stars on their tummies.
- For anyone who likes action, "Dr Seuss's Sleep Book" could be this. It's about everyone getting tired and going to bed.
- In The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat, there’s the song The Cat in the Hat sings to the Grinch in the climax, "Remember Your Mother
", especially how the Grinch himself reacts to the performance.
