Yertle the Turtle Quote Again Allowed in British Columbia Schools

More than a year after a quote from the Dr. Seuss classic Yertle the Turtle was banned from classrooms in Prince Rupert, British Columbia, a settlement has been reached allowing teachers to bring Yertle back to school.

The ban arose in April 2012 during a labor dispute. Teachers had previously gone on strike over “issues including wages, classroom conditions and the province’s response to a court ruling last year that found previous education legislation was unconstitutional,” but they were forced back to work by hastily passed provincial legislation. To continue their protest, many teachers displayed bumper stickers or wore t-shirts with quotes they found relevant. One of these was from Yertle the Turtle:

"I know up on top you are seeing great sights, but down here on the bottom, we too should have rights."

More from the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund HERE.

3 Apples Book Awards

(2/10/08) With great excitement, the Youth Services (YSS) and School Library Media (SLMS) Sections of the New York Library Association (NYLA) announce:

The 2008 3 Apples Book Award, a New York State Children's Choice Award, goes to GREEN EGGS AND HAM by Dr. Seuss (Random House). Here's someone doing a reading of that GREAT story.


Here's an animated version:


The same animated film, flipped, tinted, and speeded up:


The 2008 3 Apples Teen Book Award, a New York State Teen Choice Award, goes to A CHILD CALLED IT: ONE CHILD'S COURAGE TO SURVIVE by Dave Pelzer (HCI).

The 3 Apples Book Award was developed to encourage the joy of reading for pleasure, and to give the children and teens of New York State the opportunity to participate in honoring their favorite books. The choice of books nominated are as wide as the children's and teen's reading interests and tastes, making these truly both Children's and Teen Choice awards.

Each year, children in grades three through six, ages 8 to 12, and teens in grades seventh and up, ages 12+, have the opportunity to nominate their favorite book at either their school or public library. Each child and teen will have the opportunity to nominate one book title. The top fifteen nominees are then announced and children and teens are encouraged to read or listen to three of the books selected. Children and teens will then vote for their favorite book from those nominated titles and a winner is announced each May 10th. Every school and public library that participates in the program then celebrates the award with their children and teens.

More information can be found at www.3applesbookaward.org.