The King’s Stilts

One of the earliest picture books from Dr. Seuss, this charming classic reminds readers that when we work hard, we should also take the time to PLAY hard too!

In the Kingdom of Binn, King Birtram works very hard, up at five every morning to ensure the kingdom is running smoothly. But at five o’clock in the afternoon, the workday ends and it’s time to play—and in the case of King Birtram, that means racing around town on a pair of red stilts! But sour old Lord Droon doesn’t think that this kind of fun befits Binn’s king. . . .

A Seussian spin on a conventional fairy tale, The King’s Stilts is as topical today as when it was first published in 1939. Written in prose instead of rhyme (unlike Seuss’s later works), The King’s Stilts nevertheless addresses subjects that we know Dr. Seuss was passionate about throughout his life: duty, as in Horton Hears a Who; the abuse of power, as in Yertle the Turtle; deceit, as in How the Grinch Stole Christmas—and even cats, as in The Cat in the Hat! Follow the Good Doctor’s advice: After a hard day of work, have fun with a great book like The King’s Stilts!