And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street! is a book written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss and Robert Carington, first published in 1937. It was Seuss's first children's book, originally titled "A Story That No One Can Beat,". Did you know that the manuscript was rejected by over 43 publishing companies (precise numbers vary, even from Seuss himself, who counted 27 and 28) but was eventually published by Vanguard Press. Seuss has stated that he nearly burned the manuscript before its publication after being rejected by so many publishers. In this story a young boy walking home from school, and on seeing a simple horse and cart, embellishes it in his mind by first changing the animal, then the conveyance, then adds passengers, and so on, until the horse and cart are transformed into a veritable parade. This is a quite enjoyable flight of imagination. Unfortunately, the story opens with the boy's father admonishing him against lying, and when he arrives home his father's quelling response keeps the boy from sharing his story. Young children do know the difference between truth and fiction, so the conflict between the boy and his father is troubling. Either the character in the book is actually given to deception, or his father is suppressive of his imagination. Both interpretations would suggest potentially serious problems in a real father-son relationship because they evince a lack of trust. The tall tale is wonderful, but the dynamic between father and son isn't one I want to have emulated in our family

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