There's a Wocket in My Pocket! (Hardcover)

by Dr. Seuss (Author) "Sometimes I feel quite CERTAIN there's a JERTAIN in the CURTAIN..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Illus. in full color. A host of inventive creatures help beginning readers recognize many common "household" words.

From the Inside Flap
Illus. in full color. A host of inventive creatures help beginning readers recognize many common "household" words.  

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 36 pages
• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers; Book club edit edition (August 12, 1974)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0394829204
• ISBN-13: 978-0394829203
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.7 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #27,511 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #26 in	Books > Children's Books > Basic Concepts > Words
  #42 in	Books > Children's Books > Ages 4-8 > Dr. Seuss
  #45 in	Books > Children's Books > Early Reader Series > Dr. Seuss

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WONDERFUL!!, September 29, 1997

By A Customer

I can remember the first time I read this was when I was 8 years old. I was in the waiting room at the dentist's office. The whole time I was in the dentist's chair all I could think of was that wocket in the pocket, and I still to this day remember it. I am now 27 years old, but contrary to popular opinion, I don't think anyone is too old to enjoy Dr. Seuss. He is a legend that will be in my family forever. I hope that one day I have kids so I can share the wonderful imagination of Dr. Seuss that I was able to experience at a young age.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Add the Zonics to Your Phonics!, December 25, 2000

By	Professor Donald Mitchell "Jesus Makes Me a P... (Boston) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)

This review is from: There's a Wocket in My Pocket! (Bright & Early Books for Beginning Beginners) (School & Library Binding)

This is a five star book for those who love it, and probably much less for those with timid children who imagine "boogey men" in the night whenever a strange creaking sound is heard. I averaged that out to a four star rating.

This is one of the more unusual Dr. Seuss offerings. The rhymes are deliberate designed to only evoke nonsensical names . . . belonging to imaginary beings. So it's Dr. Seuss taken to the nth degree.

As such, the book provides many helpful clues to word decoding, encourages love of rhyming, adds humor to the thought of those "unidentifiable" noises in every house, and helps ease some children's fears of the unknown. However, it requires a lot of sophistication to enjoy this book at all these levels. For adults, the fun may pale before it does with the children . . . so the necessary connection of reading to your child may be lost unless you, as the adult, fall in love with this book. I hope that you will so fall in love . . . if you don't know the book already.

The main drawback of this book is that it may cause some fright for some children. If you have such a child, I suggest you avoid the book. If you are not sure if the book is frightening, talk to your child about how this is supposed to be fun. See how she or he reacts to the first reading. Perhaps you can borrow the book from the library, see it at a friend's house, or look at it in a book store first.

The book's basic structure is to take a common household item, and rhyme it with a made-up word: basket -- wasket; curtain -- jertain; clock -- zlock; sink -- nink; lamp -- zamp; etc. The parallels are placed close together, like this: "But that BOFA on the SOFA . . . Well, I wish he wasn't here."

The book is thus very good for identifying the visual form of the household items. As such, the choice or words and images are good for beginning readers. The rhymes show the way that words are often formed in English, providing a certain subliminal form of learning. But they also indicate that if the letters don't add up the right way, there's nothing that can go with them . . . except imagination. The book has the poetic license to encourage your child to use her or his imagination in the same way.

The drawings are very humorous, and many of the creatures are small, fuzzy, and friendly. But some are not, and that's where the potential problem comes in. The child in the story is clearly disturbed by some. For example, the QUIMNEY up the CHIMNEY: "I don't like him, not at all." "And it makes one sort of nervous when the ZALL scoots down the HALL."

These quesy moments are mitigated by the book's end. "I don't care if you believe it." This allows the reader to come back to reality, having enjoyed the fantasy world. Next, you get the child's reaction in the story. "That's the kind of house I live in. And I hope we never leave it." That statement is similar to Peter Pan's declaration that "I won't grow up." It provides a good launching pad for discussing the meaning of the story with your child.

Any number of follow up exercises with your child can be rewarding. Why not start by writing some rhymes and drawing some pictures that make the scary creatures seem ordinary or friendly to your child? For example, the ZILLOW on the PILLOW could become someone who only tells funny stories. The NOOTH GRUSH on my TOOTH BRUSH could become someone who helps scrub your teeth cleaner, and then puts the tooth brush away. You get the idea. This would help your child understand that there are many uses to which imagination may be applied, including making the world a more wonderful and friendlier place.

But be sure to get the XOVE out of your STOVE!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Seussian imagination unleashed!, January 11, 2001

By	Michael J. Mazza (Pittsburgh, PA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

Dr. Seuss' best books tend to have a touch of fantasy (or light-hearted science fiction) to them, and "There's a Wocket in My Pocket!" falls into that category. In this book of simple rhymes, the narrator introduces the reader to the gallery of weird creatures that share his home. There's no plot, but there are Seussian creatures galore.

Beginning with the Wocket of the cover, each creature favors a habitat that conveniently rhymes with its name. Example: "And that Zelf up on that shelf! / I have talked to him myself." The creatures include the pink-and-yellow striped Zlock, the cantankerous Yottle, the creepy Vug, the gravity-defying Geeling, and many others. As always, Seuss' colorful artwork is rich in whimsical details.

The narrator loves his home and its weird inhabitants. The book thus seems to have the message that it's OK to be different, or to come from a home that others might find odd. And that's a lesson I like! So enjoy the book, and don't be surprised if you find a "Ghair" under your chair.