This Dr. Seuss Cat in the Hat Dictionary is incredibly funny and silly. It’s also a highly effective learning tool for toddlers and young kids who are learning to read. In fact, this book helped my oldest kid learn how to read, along with those LeapFrog LeapReader book systems.
This book contains a total of 1,350 common words, including “apple” and “dinner,” and lots of cute nonsensical words like “kerchoo.”
As shown in the photo below, the dictionary showcases various words accompanied by silly cartoons of Dr. Seuss characters drawn by P.D. Eastman. I should point out that none of the characters in this book are actually the Cat in the Hat.
The dictionary features recurring themes and characters, such as Aaron the Alligator and Uncle Uriah, who handle various objects and assume different poses that depict each word. There are also Eskimo boys (one of whom is named Oobooglunk) and a Native American boy with feathers on his head (my kid calls him “the bunny boy”) depicted throughout the book. Newer editions of this dictionary don’t feature Eskimos and Indians, so they’re not as fun.
Richard Scarry also quietly removed Indians and Eskimos from its earlier books. There’s hardly anything about this anywhere on the Internet. That’s sad, because those pictures were so cute and funny.
The original version of the Dr. Seuss Cat in the Hat dictionary was published in 1964, so there are lots of words and photos that won’t make sense to younger generations, such as “typewriter,” “newspaper,” and “phonograph.” This makes for a pretty fun history lesson for the kids.
One of my favorite words in this book is “zyxuzpf.” The picture that goes with it shows a nest full of birds, and its description says, “A nest full of zyxuzpf birds.”
In any case, this children’s dictionary is a hilarious! It’s a great tool to use if you’re teaching your child how to read. If you prefer a vintage experience, look for versions published around or before 1992. My version was released that year and still has the old stuff in it.
What do you think about this book?
Last Updated on December 30, 2025 by Sarah Ann
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