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Parents' Guide to

Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!

By Common Sense Media, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Four classic Seuss animated TV specials.

Movie NR 1970 30 minutes
Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 7+

Based on 1 parent review

Lebron12James3
Lebron12James3 Parent
December 2, 2021
age 7+

Green

See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Based on the Dr. Seuss book Horton Hears a Who, the main story concerns the selfless elephant Horton whose big ears allow him to hear a voice from a whole world that exists on a speck of dust perched on a flower. The other jungle animals think he's crazy and try to destroy the speck, making Horton and Whoville do everything to try to be heard. Then Horton shows he's "faithful 100 percent" in Horton Hatches the Egg, when a lazy bird asks him for a very big, embarrassing favor. In The Butter Battle Book, creatures known as Yooks and Zooks divided by a wall battle out how to butter their bread. In Daisy-Headed Mayzie little Mayzie McGrew unintentionally causes a sensation when a daisy flower sprouts from her hair.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (4 ):

Of the four animated stories, of course Horton Hears a Who stands out. It's directed by Chuck Jones who did the excellent Grinch TV special four years earlier. The songs here aren't nearly as good, and the villains aren't as engaging (are those blue furry brothers supposed to be monkeys?), but Horton is such a great Seuss character that these things are easily forgivable. He's selfless in this story -- picking through thousands of pick flowers to find the lost one with his speck -- and loyal and sweetly maternal in his second story, Horton Hatches the Egg.

It's hard to figure out why Horton Hears a Who was repackaged with the other three stories, which can also be found in The Best of Dr. Seuss, but since the Whos are the highlight and Seuss stories are engaging in whatever form, it's worth watching.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families who watch this DVD with their youngest might want to also introduce their kids to Seuss books (including Horton). Parents with slightly older kids might discuss Horton and the lessons he teaches.

Movie Details

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