Monday, October 26, 2009

My Letter to Dr. Seuss

I looked forward to enjoying a nice trip to the bookstore the other day. I was checking out the kids books while Yousuf and Omar were running around on the pretend stage. They were having fun while I was looking for a book to read to them. I was browsing in my favorite section, Dr. Seuss' books. I came across one I hadn't seen before called "My Book About Me By Me Myself". It was a really nice idea where the kid fills in the blanks with their name, age and details about themselves. It asks like how many teeth you have, how big your feet are -and then you trace your foot. I came across a page when it talks about the hair; the length of it, what color is it etc. Anyway, all the pictures they give you that you can choose from are all smiling except the very last one which has no hair, ie. bald. The picture of the bald kid has a very sad face expression. As soon as I saw that, I closed the book right away worried that Yousuf might see it. I literally held my tears back and steered clear from that section. I know Yousuf may have seen me getting excited about a book, in the beginning, so therefore pick it up and look through it. I was a little heartbroken, and to say the very least, upset.

SO, I decided to write a letter to the Dr. Seuss Foundation...if there was one. I did a little research and surprisingly, Dr. Seuss' wife does have a foundation. He actually died in 1991, and get this from cancer!! The book was published in 1969, more then 20 years before he died. All I am asking for is that whoever is in charge of his books reprint them with the bald little kid having a smiling face just as all the other kids. Of course, I have to ask in a Dr. Seuss fashion. So here is goes:

Beyond the Grinches, the Hortons and Who’s,
Came a page in a book that I wouldn’t choose.
Strolling in the book store I came across my favorite section,
I looked up and down, of the rack, of this Dr,’s collection.
There was a book I hadn’t seen before, I grabbed it right off the shelf,
It was called, “A Book About Me” By Me Myself!
I thought this would be nice for my son, age four,
I opened the book and began to read more.
It looked fun and exciting, another masterpiece of his,
As we have many of his books because of the whiz that he is!
Flipping the pages I came to page four,
And what to my surprise I dropped the book on the floor!
That book, “A book About Me” By Me Myself,
I put that book right back on the shelf!
There is a part of this page I wish I could go and delete,
For I’m afraid we don’t even see on Mulberry street!
A kid picks their hair color, length and their style,
But there is one little boy who hasn’t a smile.
All but one is smiling, and by this I am appalled,
All of the kids look happy except the one who is bald!

Usually getting another Dr. Suess book is a best buy,
I just left the book and started to cry.
My son who has cancer would be sad to know,
The boy who is sad has hair he can’t grow.
So I am asking the author or the one with authority,
To make one little sick boy their priority.
Just as the red, the purple and the long hair,
Please put a smile, on the one bald, and be fair!

9 comments:

  1. Masha'allah, you are so talented! I was laughing very hard and almost close to tears at the same time! I hope they really do respond to your request. I am a huge fan of Dr. Seuss and would like to write a similiar letter to them. Perhaps if we all write to them, the persuasion will be stronger. We should support not just Yousuf, but the million of other kids who go bald everyday. My own brother, who is also Yusuf, got very sick when he was a year-and-a-half and the sickness remained with him until he was three. I remember walking through the hospital and watching a group of bald children playing in the waiting room and saying, "Yusuf could be like them." I support you sister!

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  2. Heyy! Great idea! This is the address that I found online somewhere. I hope it's right....

    Dr. Seuss Foundation
    Audrey S. Geisel
    7301 Encelia Dr.
    La Jolla, CA 92037-5279

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  3. Very beautiful! MashAllah! Did you ever think of perhaps publishing that as a story and selling it? Seriously.

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  4. SubhanAllah this make me cry a little and I can't stop crying as I write this. I am very sensitive. I pray for you Yousuf and his health. My whole family is. May Allah cure him and give you and your family sabr. Ameen. Your letter is amazing and I agree with Yousra.

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  5. ma sha Allah amazing and talented and just as the other sisters said, i smiled and cried at the same time. may Allah cure yusuf and all others in similar situation and shower their parents with His mercy and patience and reward. i am gonna add a link to your page on my fb.
    wassalam, umtalhah

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  6. Yeah, we will see the response and go from there, insha'Allah. I sent it off today, priority mail with a delivery confirmation. This is letter number one. When researching about Dr. Seuss it looks like he tried to publish his very first book 27 times before someone published it. Hopefully I will get a response before I reach the 27th time!!

    I sent a picture of Yousuf, too...bald WITH a smile! :)

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  7. You absolutely ROCK Leslie!
    Love,
    Shannon and Family

    ReplyDelete
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    ReplyDelete
  9. Shared on my facebook page. I'm a team captain for the 2013 Relay For Life in my community. This was inspiring to me and I hope it inspires those I love. Thank you for thinking of my heroes.
    ~Mom of 2, Daughter of a cancer patient

    ReplyDelete