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Man skillfully raps Dr. Seuss rhymes over Dr. Dre beats and it's an incredible combination

It's the mashup-up you never you you needed.

Wes Tank/Youtube

Wes tank rapping in his studio.

It's entirely possible that someone has rapped Dr. Seuss stories before, but I've never seen it. Now that I have seen it, the rhyming children's classics I've read over and over to my kids are never going to be the same—and not in a bad way.

Filmmaker Wes Tank has taken some of Dr. Seuss's most popular stories and rapped them over Dr. Dre beats in a mashup so perfect it's a wonder it hadn't been done a million times before. Check out his rap of the tongue-twisting Fox in Sox. If you've ever tried to read this book out loud, you know how challenging it is not to flub, especially the second half. To rap it like Tanks does is an incredibly impressive—and enjoyable—feat.

Tank is the Founder and Director of the production company TankThink, which creates uplifting, community-driven content and live experiences for global audiences.


- YouTube youtu.be

The comments on the videos are almost as entertaining as the videos themselves. Here's what people are saying about the Fox in Sox rap:

"All of a sudden the coronavirus isn't the illest thing out there."

"Am now convinced Dr.Seuss was some rapper's ghost writer."

"I've listened to this maybe 7 times so far. Still not sick of it."

"Yo, the tweedle beetle battle bit was fire."

Tank also rapped the cautionary environmental tale, The Lorax.


- YouTube www.youtube.com

And people loved it.

"I'm devastated to think that there are only a finite number of Dre beats & Seuss books. Please don't ever stop."

"I didn't think rapping dr Seuss books was something I needed in my life but now I know better."

"This is way better than the movie was."

"Omg I just told my seven-year-old there was a new Doctor Seuss rap video, and now he's jumping up and down screaming with excitement, and begging to go to bed... 😂😂😂 Thanks?!"

How about a little One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish?

- YouTube youtu.be

And the comments keep on coming:

"This guy just filled a niche I didn't even know existed."

"Dr. Seuss' books weren't part of my childhood. Rap isn't really my thing. Why do I find these videos so awesome? Because they are amazing!"

"You are frighteningly good at this."

"3:05 is the literal definition of how to hit a beat with ferocity."

Would the real Dr. Seuss please stand up?

Imagine hearing this coming out of someone's car at a traffic light.

I'm a 30 year old man, it's 1am, and I'm watching a man rapping dr seuss.

When Dr Seuss was born it was already written that Wes would one day too come into this world, for these books were undoubtedly written as raps for Wes.

So far, it looks like Tanks has six Dr. Seuss/Dr. Dre videos on his YouTube channel, which you can check out here.

Well done, Wes Tanks. (Personal request—do The Sneetches next, please and thank you.)

This article originally appeared five years ago.

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8 changes that were made to a classic Richard Scarry book to keep up with the times. Progress!

All the misogyny and racism you may not have noticed are now gone.

Images via Alan Taylor/Flickr, used with permission.

Updating the kitchen.


Remember those beloved Richard Scarry books?

Books from when you were a kid?

Like a lot of people, I grew up reading them.

And now, I read them to my kids.

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Richard Scarry’s Best Storybook Ever

Images via Alan Taylor/Flickr, used with permission.

If that doesn't ring a bell, perhaps this character from the "Busytown" series will. Classic!

evolution, gender roles, equality

Apple Car.

Images via Alan Taylor/Flickr, used with permission.

Scarry was an incredibly prolific children's author and illustrator. He created over 250 books during his career. His books were loved across the world — over 100 million were sold in many languages.

But here's something you may not have known about these classics: They've been slowly changing over the years.

Don't panic! They've been changing in a good way.

Scarry started publishing books in the 1950s, when times were, well, a little different. So some of the details were quietly updated.

Alan Taylor, a senior editor for the photo section of The Atlantic, noticed differences back in 2005 and decided to photograph them. From his Flickr album:

"The 1963 edition is my own, bought for me in the late 60's when I was a toddler, and read to tatters. The 1991 edition belongs to my kids today. I was so familiar with the older one that I immediately started noticing a few differences, and so have catalogued 14 of the more interesting differences here in this collection."

Taylor found 14 pages with differences between the original and updated versions.

Here are eight changes that reflect some of the progress society has made:

1. First up: The cover got a makeover. It might seem subtle at first glance, but look closely.

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Richard Scarry’s Best Word Book Ever

Images via Alan Taylor/Flickr, used with permission.

The original has a woman (bunny) in the kitchen, while the updated cover has both a man and a woman (still bunnies) in the kitchen. Also: The "policeman" bear changed to a woman, and the label changed to "police officer." The word "mailman" became "letter carrier," and a female farmer was added. Oh, and we went from a cat-mom pushing the stroller to cat-dad! Progress!

(The bunny brushing its teeth in the house was changed from a boy to a girl, but I'm not gonna read into that because hopefully all bunny-kids brush their teeth, right? I mean, for the sake of their little bunny teefs!)

2. Men can be flight attendants and women can be pilots. And, you know, they don't have to be hot.

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Pretty stewardess to flight attendant.

Images via Alan Taylor/Flickr, used with permission.

While the gender of each role remained the same in the newer version (which is, unfortunately, pretty legit, given the glaring lack of female pilots in real life), the stereotyping was eliminated by making the "handsome pilot" more of an everyday "pilot" (raccoon?) and by turning the "pretty stewardess" into a regular flight attendant.

3. Christmas isn't the only holiday people celebrate.

inclusive, menorah, bears

Adding the menorah.

Images via Alan Taylor/Flickr, used with permission.

Shhhh: Don't tell the Starbucks Christmas cup haters this, but there are a lot more winter holidays than just Christmas. The newer version of the book included a menorah in the blank space to recognize those who celebrate Hanukkah.

4. Mommy Bears are no longer expected to have breakfast prepared for Daddy Bears...

mommy bears, daddy bears, best word book ever

Dad bears being dad bears.

Images via Alan Taylor/Flickr, used with permission.

...and the subtle change from "called to breakfast" to "goes to the kitchen to eat his breakfast" reflects that.

(Side note: Do Daddy Bears realllllly want to be treated like Kid Bears by being called to a meal, where they must promptly appear? I'm thinking not.)

5. Because guess what?! Dads can cook, too! (Even Dad Bunnies.)

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Dads can cook, too?

Images via Alan Taylor/Flickr, used with permission.

And Richard Scarry's book was updated to reflect the late-20th-century realization that everyone belongs in the kitchen!

6. Helping professions aren't just for men.

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No more cowboys.

Images via Alan Taylor/Flickr, used with permission.

The updated version recognized that fact by changing "policeman" to "police officer" and "fireman" to "fire fighter." The ever-important job of cowboy was eliminated ( sigh ... how many career hopes and dreams were squashed?), replaced with a gardener and a scientist, both of which are filled by female characters. Three cheers for women in STEM! Also: The milkman was replaced by a taxi driver, but I'm pretty sure that was had to do with the fact that milkman (or woman) isn't a growing occupation any longer.

7. Regular people need rescuing, too.

firemen, danger, hopes

Cat is in danger.

Images via Alan Taylor/Flickr, used with permission.

The newer version did away with the "beautiful screaming lady" (sigh... how many career hopes and dreams ... oh, wait — none) and replaced her with a regular "cat in danger." The "jumping gentleman" label was removed altogether, and the "fireman" became a "fire fighter" again.

8. "I" is for "ice cream" — and not stereotypical depictions of Native Americans.

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Adding the cone.

Images via Alan Taylor/Flickr, used with permission.

We're still waiting for our football teams to get with the times, but the folks behind the Richard Scarry book update eliminated the "Indian" character that was wearing stereotypical clothing.

Yay, progress! And before you shrug and say "It's just a book," listen to this:

Florida State University recently led "the most comprehensive study of 20th century children's books ever undertaken in the United States." As you can surely guess, they found a gender bias toward male lead characters, even in books about animals — books like those by Richard Scarry.

Janice McCabe, the assistant professor of sociology who led the study, wrote:

"The widespread pattern of underrepresentation of females that we find supports the belief that female characters are less important and interesting than male characters. This may contribute to a sense of unimportance among girls and privilege among boys. The gender inequalities we found may be particularly powerful because they are reinforced by patterns of male-dominated characters in many other aspects of children's media, including cartoons, G-rated films, video games and even coloring books."

It's kind of cool to think these changes were made at least two and a half decades ago! That's something.

And we need changes to keep happening! Kids should be able to read books with same-sex couples and characters who have disabilities, for example, because those are everyday occurrences and books are a great intro to the world for kids.

Anyone else up for modernizing other classic kids' books so we can feel good about sharing them with our kids?


This article was writen by Laura Willard and originally appeared on 11.11.15

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Why Maurice Sendak was delighted when a little boy ate the letter and drawing he sent him

Even the smallest original drawings from the "Where the Wild Things Are" author go for thousands of dollars at auction.

Clarence Patch/Wikimedia

Maurice Sendak published "Where the Wild Things Are" in 1963.

Maurice Sendak's "Where the Wild Things Are" is one of those timeless, classic children's books that holds a special place in the hearts of people of all ages. I read it so much as a child that I had it memorized when I read it to my own kids, and they will surely pass along the Wild Things love to the next generation as well.

Though "Where the Wild Things Are" is his most famous book, it's one of many that Sendak wrote and/or illustrated during his prolific career. We see his illustrative work in the "Little Bear" series, in "The Phantom Tollbooth," and dozens more—not too shabby for a largely self-taught artist.

Sendak's ability to tap into a child's imaginary world—both its light and dark places—was what made his work so beloved. But a story he shared of an interaction with a child in the real world demonstrates how well he understood his audience.

The story has been passed through multiple people and platforms over the years, but the website Letters of Note says it came from an NPR "Fresh Air" interview with Terri Gross in 1986. Gross asked Sendak to share some of his favorite comments he'd received over the years, and Sendak responded:

"Oh, there’s so many. Can I give you just one that I really like? It was from a little boy. He sent me a charming card with a little drawing. I loved it. I answer all my children’s letters—sometimes very hastily—but this one I lingered over. I sent him a postcard and I drew a picture of a Wild Thing on it. I wrote, 'Dear Jim, I loved your card.' Then I got a letter back from his mother and she said, 'Jim loved your card so much he ate it.' That to me was one of the highest compliments I’ve ever received. He didn’t care that it was an original drawing or anything. He saw it, he loved it, he ate it."

Those who know "Where the Wild Things Are" will recognize the boy's impulse in the line, “But the wild things cried, 'Oh please don’t go - we’ll eat you up - we love you so!'"

And those who know the value of original art will recognize that the little boy gobbled up a one-of-a-kind Maurice Sendak drawing that would likely go for thousands of dollars at auction today.

The fact that Sendak was tickled and saw it as the highest compliment is exactly why he could write so well for kids. He was able to tap into what made children different than grown-ups. But he also didn't talk down to them or pretend that childhood was all sunshine and roses. His childhood certainly wasn't a happy one and he was known for having a bit of a gruff exterior, but his ability to tap into the darkness of childhood without being overly frightening was unique.

"I refuse to lie to children," Sendak said in his final interview with The Guardian in 2011. "I refuse to cater to the bullshit of innocence."

Sendak passed away in 2012 at age 83 with 150 illustrated books to his name and the honor of being the most honored children's book author in history.

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Awesome Twitter thread explains the surprising origins of Dr. Seuss and 'The Cat in the Hat'

It all started back in 1954 with a national quest to understand “Why can't children read?”

Wikipedia, @bpoppenheimer/Twitter

How exactly did Dr. Seuss come up with "Cat in the Hat?"

Dr. Seuss is one of the most enduring and endearing children’s books writers of all time. His work has been around for over sixty years, and while certain titles certainly fall short of today’s standards, kids continue to enjoy the unique use of wordplay, illustration style and abounding optimism of his beloved classics.

But how exactly did Dr. Seuss came up with such an impactful idea in the first place? That’s a story unto itself, and one that, much like his fictional works, still feels relevant today.

As explained in a Twitter thread by writer and research assistant Billy Oppenheimer, it all began when another award-winning author, John Hershey, started investigating the looming question of 1954: “Why can't children read?”

After two years of reading children's books, meeting with experts and observing how reading was taught in schools, Hershey ultimately came to a rather simple conclusion—children didn’t want to read, because children’s books were boring.

Even in an age pre-TikTok and Snapchat, reading had to “compete for the interest of children with television, radio, movies, comic books, magazines, and sports,” and children’s books by and large just weren’t entertaining enough to hold short attention spans in comparison to their instantly stimulating counterparts.

Henry would end up publishing his findings in an issue of “LIFE” Magazine, along with the call to action for writers to create something more compelling than what the current market provided. The article would be read by an editor at Houghton Mifflin, who would then challenge an illustrator friend of his to "Write me a story that first graders can't put down."

That illustrator was, you guessed it, Theodor Seuss Geisel.

Seuss has the added obstacle of only being able to write a story using a vocabulary list of 300 "accepted" words. So his strategy, as is with many brilliant creatives, was to just play around, combining different rhyming words until something resonated. Eventually the words “cat” and “hat” caught his attention…

…And in 1957, we’d have “The Cat in the Hat,” a blockbuster of a book that used 236 unique words, which Hershey himself hailed as a "masterpiece" and a "gift to the art of reading." It would also remain the book that Seuss was proudest of, "because [it] proved to a number of million kids that reading is not a disagreeable task.”

A lack of interest in reading, particularly reading for pleasure, is still a widely discussed topic among parents and educators. And much like in Dr. Seuss’ time, an overwhelming amount of competing tech-media is largely to blame. A 2021 survey from Common Sense Media revealed that in just two years after the pandemic (between 2019 and 2021) kids ages 8 to 18 increased their time on social media 17 percent, amounting to somewhere between a little more than five and half hours to just over eight and half hours a day.

We might not be able to grab even shorter attention spans with rhyming tales of Whoville, but we can still take a page from Dr. Seuss’ book by making reading seem more “interesting.” Perhaps it entails a wider selection of book titles, or joining forces with the power of social media to form communities like #BookTok to make reading still feel fresh and modern—these are two strategies that have already proven successful. Or perhaps it'll be something altogether different.

The solution might not be completely solidified, but like Dr. Seuss, we have to maintain a curious spirit and incorporate a sense of play in our approach. Keeping something fun is akin to keeping something alive more often than not. Take it from the guy who brought us Grinches and Loraxes and Whovians that still lift our spirits today.

Speaking of reading, if you care to check out Seuss’ biography, which Oppenhemier cited in his thread, you can find it here.

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