250 Dr. Seuss Quotes: Timeless Wisdom for Kids and Dreamers

Dr. Seuss, the pen name of Theodor Seuss Geisel (1904-1991), wrote more than 60 books that taught generations of children to read, to imagine, and to care. His rhymes hide real wisdom about courage, kindness, and joy, which is why his lines show up everywhere from graduation speeches to nursery walls. This collection of 250 dr seuss quotes gathers his most loved lines in one place, organized by theme so you can find the right words for any moment.

Every quote below is either a verified line from one of his books or interviews, or is clearly labeled "Attributed to Dr. Seuss" when no original source could be confirmed. Browse the sections for success, gratitude, being yourself, and more, or jump straight to the Editor's Picks for the most famous dr seuss quotes of all.

Editor’s Picks

Our 11 favorite dr seuss quotes, hand-picked from the full 250 below.

Dr. Seuss Quotes About Wisdom and Life

Seuss packed more life philosophy into rhyming couplets than most textbooks manage in whole chapters.

1. “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” — Dr. Seuss
2. “So be sure when you step, step with care and great tact. And remember that life's a great balancing act.” — Dr. Seuss
3. “Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you!” — Dr. Seuss
4. “Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.” — Attributed to Dr. Seuss
5. “Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.” — Attributed to Dr. Seuss
6. “You will come to a place where the streets are not marked. Some windows are lighted. But mostly they're darked.” — Dr. Seuss
7. “And when you're alone there's a very good chance you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.” — Dr. Seuss
8. “I'm afraid that some times you'll play lonely games too. Games you can't win 'cause you'll play against you.” — Dr. Seuss
9. “All alone! Whether you like it or not, alone is something you'll be quite a lot!” — Dr. Seuss
10. “Except when they don't. Because, sometimes, they won't.” — Dr. Seuss
11. “You'll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You'll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go.” — Dr. Seuss
12. “It's a troublesome world. All the people who're in it are troubled with troubles almost every minute.” — Dr. Seuss
13. “When you think things are bad, when you feel sour and blue, when you start to get mad… you should do what I do!” — Dr. Seuss
14. “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.” — Attributed to Dr. Seuss
15. “From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere.” — Dr. Seuss
16. “Today is gone. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.” — Dr. Seuss
17. “I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living.” — Dr. Seuss
18. “Adults are just obsolete children and the hell with them.” — Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss Quotes About Perseverance

When the road gets wiggly, these lines keep you moving toward your mountain.

1. “You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.” — Dr. Seuss
2. “And when you're in a Slump, you're not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.” — Dr. Seuss
3. “I meant what I said and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful one hundred percent!” — Dr. Seuss
4. “With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.” — Dr. Seuss
5. “So, open your mouth, lad! For every voice counts!” — Dr. Seuss
6. “You do not like them. So you say. Try them! Try them! And you may.” — Dr. Seuss
7. “There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all.” — Dr. Seuss
8. “Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So… get on your way!” — Dr. Seuss
9. “You'll be on your way up! You'll be seeing great sights! You'll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.” — Dr. Seuss
10. “And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)” — Dr. Seuss
11. “Kid, you'll move mountains! So… be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea, you're off to Great Places!” — Dr. Seuss
12. “Wherever you fly, you'll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.” — Dr. Seuss
13. “I know, up on top you are seeing great sights, but down here at the bottom we, too, should have rights.” — Dr. Seuss
14. “And he puzzled and puzzled till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.” — Dr. Seuss
15. “Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left.” — Dr. Seuss
16. “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.” — Dr. Seuss
17. “Congratulations! Today is your day. You're off to Great Places!” — Dr. Seuss
18. “Fame! You'll be famous as famous can be, with everyone watching you win on TV.” — Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss Quotes About Imagination

No one celebrated wild thinking like Dr. Seuss — these quotes are fuel for creative minds.

1. “Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!” — Dr. Seuss
2. “You can think about red. You can think about pink. You can think up a horse!” — Dr. Seuss
3. “Think and wonder, wonder and think.” — Dr. Seuss
4. “You can think up some birds. That's what you can do. You can think about yellow or think about blue.” — Dr. Seuss
5. “If you never did, you should. These things are fun, and fun is good.” — Dr. Seuss
6. “Why, we can have lots of good fun, if you wish, with a game that I call Up-up-up with a fish!” — Dr. Seuss
7. “I know some good games we could play, said the cat. I know some new tricks, said the Cat in the Hat.” — Dr. Seuss
8. “Did you ever have the feeling there's a wasket in your basket or a nureau in your bureau?” — Dr. Seuss
9. “When beetles fight these battles in a bottle with their paddles and the bottle's on a poodle and the poodle's eating noodles…” — Dr. Seuss
10. “And to think that I saw it on Mulberry Street.” — Dr. Seuss
11. “If I ran the zoo, said young Gerald McGrew, I'd make a few changes. That's just what I'd do…” — Dr. Seuss
12. “Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” — Attributed to Dr. Seuss
13. “Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope.” — Dr. Seuss
14. “I know it is wet and the sun is not sunny, but we can have lots of good fun that is funny.” — Dr. Seuss
15. “Look at me! Look at me NOW! It is fun to have fun but you have to know how.” — Dr. Seuss
16. “So all we could do was to sit! Sit! Sit! Sit! And we did not like it. Not one little bit.” — Dr. Seuss
17. “Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done!” — Dr. Seuss
18. “I do not like green eggs and ham. I do not like them, Sam-I-am.” — Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss Quotes About Reading and Learning

The man who taught millions of children to read had plenty to say about books and learning.

1. “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” — Dr. Seuss
2. “You can get help from teachers, but you are going to have to learn a lot by yourself, sitting alone in a room.” — Dr. Seuss
3. “You're never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read to a child.” — Attributed to Dr. Seuss
4. “Young cat! If you keep your eyes open enough, oh, the stuff you will learn! The most wonderful stuff!” — Dr. Seuss
5. “Big A, little A. What begins with A?” — Dr. Seuss
6. “Big C, little C. What begins with C? Camel on the ceiling.” — Dr. Seuss
7. “I can read with my eyes shut!” — Dr. Seuss
8. “I can read in red. I can read in blue. I can read in pickle color too.” — Dr. Seuss
9. “If you read with your eyes shut you're likely to find that the place where you're going is far, far behind.” — Dr. Seuss
10. “Say! Look at his fingers! One, two, three… How many fingers do I see?” — Dr. Seuss
11. “Words and pictures are yin and yang. Married, they produce a progeny more interesting than either parent.” — Dr. Seuss
12. “I don't write for children, I write for people.” — Dr. Seuss
13. “The main problem with writing in verse is, if your fourth line doesn't come out right, you've got to throw four lines away and figure out a whole new way to attack the problem. So the mortality rate is terrific.” — Dr. Seuss
14. “Some have two feet and some have four. Some have six feet and some have more.” — Dr. Seuss
15. “I like green eggs and ham! I do! I like them, Sam-I-am!” — Dr. Seuss
16. “Left foot, right foot, feet, feet, feet. How many, many feet you meet.” — Dr. Seuss
17. “You'll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut.” — Dr. Seuss
18. “So… that's why I tell you to keep your eyes wide. Keep them wide open… at least on one side.” — Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss Quotes About Kindness

From Horton to the Lorax, his gentlest lessons are about caring for others.

1. “To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.” — Attributed to Dr. Seuss
2. “I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees. I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues.” — Dr. Seuss
3. “And the turtles, of course… all the turtles are free. As turtles and, maybe, all creatures should be.” — Dr. Seuss
4. “Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas… perhaps… means a little bit more!” — Dr. Seuss
5. “And what happened then? Well, in Whoville they say that the Grinch's small heart grew three sizes that day!” — Dr. Seuss
6. “That day, all the Sneetches forgot about stars, and whether they had one, or not, upon thars.” — Dr. Seuss
7. “Don't give up! I believe in you all. A person's a person, no matter how small.” — Dr. Seuss
8. “It came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes or bags!” — Dr. Seuss
9. “Every Who down in Whoville, the tall and the small, was singing! Without any presents at all!” — Dr. Seuss
10. “And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so?” — Dr. Seuss
11. “Plant a new Truffula. Treat it with care. Give it clean water and feed it fresh air.” — Dr. Seuss
12. “Did I ever tell you how lucky you are?” — Dr. Seuss
13. “If we didn't have birthdays, you wouldn't be you. If you'd never been born, well then what would you do?” — Dr. Seuss
14. “Be patient, said Grandpa. We'll see. We will see…” — Dr. Seuss
15. “You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed. You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead.” — Dr. Seuss
16. “And it should be, it should be, it SHOULD be like that! Because Horton was faithful! He sat and he sat!” — Dr. Seuss
17. “Now, the Star-Belly Sneetches had bellies with stars. The Plain-Belly Sneetches had none upon thars.” — Dr. Seuss
18. “Please don't harm all my little folks, who have as much right to live as us bigger folks do.” — Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss Quotes for Children

Simple, musical lines little ones can memorize — and grown-ups will love too.

1. “Slow feet, quick feet, well feet, sick feet.” — Dr. Seuss
2. “Wet foot, dry foot, low foot, high foot.” — Dr. Seuss
3. “Oh, the wonderful sounds Mr. Brown can do. He can go like a cow. He can go moo, moo.” — Dr. Seuss
4. “A person's a person, no matter how small.” — Dr. Seuss
5. “We looked! And we saw him! The Cat in the Hat!” — Dr. Seuss
6. “Mr. Brown can do it. How about you?” — Dr. Seuss
7. “It is fun to have fun, but you have to know how.” — Dr. Seuss
8. “Many mumbling mice are making midnight music in the moonlight. Mighty nice.” — Dr. Seuss
9. “Zizzer-zazzer-zuzz, as you can plainly see, the fanciest fuzz that ever was, is zizzer-zazzer-zuzz.” — Dr. Seuss
10. “One apple up on top! Two apples up on top!” — Dr. Seuss
11. “I am Sam. Sam I am.” — Dr. Seuss
12. “One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish. Black fish, blue fish, old fish, new fish.” — Dr. Seuss
13. “Have no fear! Have no fear! Said the Cat. My tricks are not bad. Said the Cat in the Hat.” — Dr. Seuss
14. “We like to hop. We like to hop on top of Pop.” — Dr. Seuss
15. “Fox in socks, our game is done, sir. Thank you for a lot of fun, sir.” — Dr. Seuss
16. “It all began with that shoe on the wall. A shoe on the wall? Shouldn't be there at all!” — Dr. Seuss
17. “Big B, little b, what begins with B? Barber baby bubbles and a bumblebee.” — Dr. Seuss
18. “Stop! You must not hop on Pop.” — Dr. Seuss

Funny Dr. Seuss Quotes

Silly rhymes and joyful nonsense, exactly as the doctor ordered.

1. “That Sam-I-am! That Sam-I-am! I do not like that Sam-I-am!” — Dr. Seuss
2. “When tweetle beetles battle with paddles in a puddle, they call it a tweetle beetle puddle paddle battle.” — Dr. Seuss
3. “I do not like them here or there. I do not like them anywhere.” — Dr. Seuss
4. “You do not like them, so you say. Try them, and you may!” — Dr. Seuss
5. “You will see something new. Two things. And I call them Thing One and Thing Two.” — Dr. Seuss
6. “And this mess is so big, and so deep and so tall, we cannot pick it up, there is no way at all!” — Dr. Seuss
7. “Those stars weren't so big. They were really so small. You might think such a thing wouldn't matter at all.” — Dr. Seuss
8. “When tweetle beetles fight, it's called a tweetle beetle battle.” — Dr. Seuss
9. “Knox in box. Fox in socks.” — Dr. Seuss
10. “New socks, two socks. Whose socks? Sue's socks.” — Dr. Seuss
11. “Don't grumble! Don't stew! Some critters are much-much, oh, ever so much-much, so muchly much-much more unlucky than you!” — Dr. Seuss
12. “Thank goodness for all the things you are not!” — Dr. Seuss
13. “Say! In the dark? Here in the dark! Would you, could you, in the dark?” — Dr. Seuss
14. “You make 'em, I amuse 'em.” — Dr. Seuss
15. “Nonsense wakes up the brain cells. And it helps develop a sense of humor, which is awfully important in this day and age.” — Dr. Seuss
16. “Like a hippopotamus chewing gum. He can go like a big hippopotamus. He can go grum, grum.” — Dr. Seuss
17. “There's a Wocket in my pocket.” — Dr. Seuss
18. “Oh, the sea is so full of a number of fish, if a fellow is patient, he might get his wish!” — Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss Quotes About Dreams and Hope

Big dreams need big encouragement, and Seuss delivers both.

1. “You're off to Great Places! Your mountain is waiting, so… get on your way!” — Dr. Seuss
2. “Today is your day. You're off to Great Places! You're off and away!” — Dr. Seuss
3. “Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)” — Dr. Seuss
4. “Kid, you'll move mountains!” — Dr. Seuss
5. “So, you see! There's no end to the things you might know, depending how far beyond Zebra you go!” — Dr. Seuss
6. “To the City of Solla Sollew, on the banks of the beautiful River Wah-Hoo, where they never have troubles! At least, very few.” — Dr. Seuss
7. “And when things start to happen, don't worry, don't stew. Just go right along. You'll start happening too.” — Dr. Seuss
8. “Somehow you'll escape all that waiting and staying. You'll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing.” — Dr. Seuss
9. “On and on you will hike, and I know you'll hike far and face up to your problems whatever they are.” — Dr. Seuss
10. “Out there things can happen, and frequently do, to people as brainy and footsy as you.” — Dr. Seuss
11. “Oh the things you can find if you don’t stay behind!” — Dr. Seuss
12. “If you wish to wish a wish, you may swish for fish in my fish dish with a wish.” — Dr. Seuss
13. “Have no fear of this mess! Said the Cat in the Hat. I always pick up all my playthings and so I will show you another good trick that I know!” — Dr. Seuss
14. “This might be a pool, like I've read of in books, connected to one of those underground brooks!” — Dr. Seuss
15. “And he, he himself! The Grinch carved the roast beast!” — Dr. Seuss
16. “Well, in Who-ville they say that the Grinch's small heart grew three sizes that day.” — Dr. Seuss
17. “The Circus McGurkus! The World's Greatest Show! On the face of the earth, or wherever you go!” — Dr. Seuss
18. “You are you. Now, isn’t that pleasant?” — Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss Quotes About Courage

For scary first days and brave new tries, borrow some Seuss-sized courage.

1. “But our fish said, "No! No! Make that cat go away! Tell that Cat in the Hat you do NOT want to play."” — Dr. Seuss
2. “I do not fear those pants with nobody inside them. I said, and said, and said those words. I said them. But I lied them.” — Dr. Seuss
3. “"Grandpa!" I shouted. "Be careful! Oh, gee! Who's going to drop it? Will you…? Or will he…?"” — Dr. Seuss
4. “Onward up many a frightening creek, though your arms may get sore and your sneakers may leak.” — Dr. Seuss
5. “On you will go though the Hakken-Kraks howl.” — Dr. Seuss
6. “I've heard there are troubles of more than one kind; some come from ahead, and some come from behind. But I've brought a big bat. I'm all ready, you see; now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!” — Dr. Seuss
7. “But on you will go though the weather be foul. On you will go though your enemies prowl.” — Dr. Seuss
8. “I'm sorry to say so but, sadly, it's true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.” — Dr. Seuss
9. “Alone will be something you'll be quite a lot.” — Dr. Seuss
10. “You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care. About some you will say, 'I don't choose to go there.'” — Dr. Seuss
11. “Kid, you’ll move mountains.” — Dr. Seuss
12. “And today the great Yertle, that Marvelous he, is King of the Mud. That is all he can see. And the turtles, of course… all the turtles are free as turtles and, maybe, all creatures should be.” — Dr. Seuss
13. “We can have lots of good fun that is funny.” — Dr. Seuss
14. “I am the Lorax who speaks for the trees, which you seem to be chopping as fast as you please!” — Dr. Seuss
15. “I was deep within the woods when, suddenly, I spied them. I saw a pair of pale green pants with nobody inside them!” — Dr. Seuss
16. “That day, they decided that Sneetches are Sneetches and no kind of Sneetch is the best on the beaches.” — Dr. Seuss
17. “Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.” — Dr. Seuss
18. “Step with care and great tact and remember that Life's a Great Balancing Act.” — Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss Quotes About Friendship

Loyal Hortons, a redeemed Grinch, and true companions — Seuss on standing by each other.

1. “'My friends!' cried the elephant. 'Tell me! Do tell!'” — Dr. Seuss
2. “We're exactly like you! You can't tell us apart.” — Dr. Seuss
3. “Have no fear, little fish, I will not let you fall.” — Dr. Seuss
4. “But I like to be here. Oh, I like it a lot!” — Dr. Seuss
5. “There's room there to spare, and I'm happy to share! Be my guest and I hope that you're comfortable there!” — Dr. Seuss
6. “He brought back their toys! And their food for the feast!” — Dr. Seuss
7. “And the fools that I saw were none other than you, who seem to have nothing else better to do than sit here and argue who's better than who!” — Dr. Seuss
8. “I know some new tricks. A lot of good tricks. I will show them to you.” — Dr. Seuss
9. “Thank goodness I'm not a clam or a ham or a dusty old jar of gooseberry jam! I am what I am! That's a great thing to be!” — Dr. Seuss
10. “I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues.” — Dr. Seuss
11. “We are here! We are here! We are here! We are here!” — Attributed to Dr. Seuss
12. “But those stars weren't so big. They were really so small. You might think such a thing wouldn't matter at all.” — Dr. Seuss
13. “You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” — Attributed to Dr. Seuss
14. “Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.” — Attributed to Dr. Seuss
15. “Then our mother came in and she said to us two, 'Did you have any fun? Tell me, what did you do?'” — Dr. Seuss
16. “Christmas Day will always be just as long as we have we.” — Dr. Seuss
17. “Remember me and smile, for it's better to forget than to remember me and cry.” — Attributed to Dr. Seuss
18. “You have to be odd to be number one.” — Attributed to Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss Quotes About Success

Mountains to move and places to go: motivation, Seuss-style.

1. “The time has come. The time is now. Just go. Go. GO! I don't care how.” — Dr. Seuss
2. “You can go by foot. You can go by cow. Marvin K. Mooney, will you please go now!” — Dr. Seuss
3. “Kid, you'll move mountains! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way!” — Dr. Seuss
4. “You're off to great places! Today is your day!” — Dr. Seuss
5. “Cause you never can tell what goes on down below! This pool might be bigger than you or I know!” — Dr. Seuss
6. “But McBean was quite wrong. I'm quite happy to say that the Sneetches got really quite smart on that day.” — Dr. Seuss
7. “I've had trouble in getting to Solla Sollew, where they never have troubles, at least, very few.” — Dr. Seuss
8. “You're in charge of the last of the Truffula Seeds. And Truffula Trees are what everyone needs.” — Dr. Seuss
9. “And that's why I think that I'm not such a fool when I sit here and fish in McElligot's Pool!” — Dr. Seuss
10. “When you're in a Slump, you're not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.” — Dr. Seuss
11. “If I'm patient and cool, who knows what I'll catch in McElligot's Pool!” — Dr. Seuss
12. “With banner flip-flapping, once more you'll ride high! Ready for anything under the sky.” — Dr. Seuss
13. “I'm Yertle the Turtle! Oh, marvelous me! For I am the ruler of all that I see!” — Dr. Seuss
14. “Only you can control your future.” — Attributed to Dr. Seuss
15. “If things start happening, don't worry, don't stew, just go right along and you'll start happening too.” — Dr. Seuss
16. “Do I like to hop, hop? I do like to hop, hop.” — Dr. Seuss
17. “I can hold up the cup and the milk and the cake! I can hold up these books! And the fish on a rake!” — Dr. Seuss
18. “I have a bird I like to hold.” — Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss Quotes About Gratitude and Joy

A thankfulness tune-up, with rhymes.

1. “Hop on pop.” — Dr. Seuss
2. “You ought to be thankful a whole heaping lot, for the places and people you're lucky you're not.” — Dr. Seuss
3. “Welcome, Christmas, bring your cheer. Cheer to all Whos far and near.” — Dr. Seuss
4. “Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.” — Dr. Seuss
5. “Christmas Day will always be, just so long as we have we.” — Dr. Seuss
6. “Oh, the wonderful things Mr. Brown can do!” — Dr. Seuss
7. “Look! Ten apples up on top! We are not going to let them drop.” — Dr. Seuss
8. “Big Q, little q. What begins with Q? The quick queen of Quincy and her quacking quackeroo.” — Dr. Seuss
9. “A life with love will have some thorns, but a life without love will have no roses.” — Attributed to Dr. Seuss
10. “Shout loud, 'I am lucky to be what I am! Thank goodness I'm not just a clam or a ham or a dusty old jar of sour gooseberry jam!'” — Dr. Seuss
11. “Some days are yellow. Some are blue. On different days I'm different too.” — Dr. Seuss
12. “Did you ever fly a kite in bed? Did you ever walk with ten cats on your head? Did you ever milk this kind of cow? Well, we can do it. We know how.” — Dr. Seuss
13. “Say! I will eat them here and there. Say! I will eat them ANYWHERE!” — Dr. Seuss
14. “My shoe is off. My foot is cold. I have a bird I like to hold.” — Dr. Seuss
15. “If you keep your eyes open enough, oh, the stuff you will learn. The most wonderful stuff!” — Dr. Seuss
16. “A skunk sat on a stump and thunk the stump stunk, but the stump thunk the skunk stunk.” — Dr. Seuss
17. “I do not like this trick, said the fish in the pot.” — Dr. Seuss
18. “A zizzer-zazzer-zuz, as you can plainly see.” — Dr. Seuss

Short Dr. Seuss Quotes

Tiny lines, huge wisdom — made for captions, cards, and classroom walls.

1. “Look at me! Look at me! Look at me NOW!” — Dr. Seuss
2. “An elephant's faithful, one hundred percent!” — Dr. Seuss
3. “The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play.” — Dr. Seuss
4. “My alphabet starts where your alphabet ends.” — Dr. Seuss
5. “It's opener there in the wide open air.” — Dr. Seuss
6. “A host, above all, must be kind to his guests.” — Dr. Seuss
7. “Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living.” — Dr. Seuss
8. “I am what I am!” — Dr. Seuss
9. “So we sat in the house and we did nothing at all.” — Dr. Seuss
10. “Could you, would you, with a goat?” — Dr. Seuss
11. “How did it get so late so soon?” — Attributed to Dr. Seuss
12. “Don't give up! I believe in you all.” — Dr. Seuss
13. “Do you like green eggs and ham?” — Dr. Seuss
14. “In the places I go there are things that I see that I never could spell if I stopped with the Z.” — Dr. Seuss
15. “Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!” — Dr. Seuss
16. “It's not about what it is, it's about what it can become.” — Attributed to Dr. Seuss
17. “Do you like green eggs and ham? I do not like them, Sam-I-am.” — Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss Quotes About Being Yourself

No one cheered for originality louder than Dr. Seuss.

1. “And their whole world was saved by the Smallest of All!” — Dr. Seuss
2. “I am what I am! That's a great thing to be!” — Dr. Seuss
3. “If you'd never been born, well then what would you be? You might be a fish! Or a toad in a tree!” — Dr. Seuss
4. “Or worse than all that… Why, you might be a WASN'T! A Wasn't has no fun at all. No, he doesn't.” — Dr. Seuss
5. “The day they decided that Sneetches are Sneetches. And no kind of Sneetch is the best on the beaches. That day, all the Sneetches forgot about stars and whether they had one, or not, upon thars.” — Dr. Seuss
6. “Did I ever tell you that Mrs. McCave had twenty-three sons and she named them all Dave?” — Dr. Seuss
7. “I'm telling you this 'cause you're one of my friends. My alphabet starts where your alphabet ends!” — Dr. Seuss
8. “Take every chance, drop every fear.” — Dr. Seuss
9. “Except when you don't because, sometimes, you won't.” — Dr. Seuss
10. “I'm afraid that sometimes you'll play lonely games too. Games you can't win 'cause you'll play against you.” — Dr. Seuss
11. “But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready, you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!” — Dr. Seuss
12. “Never budge! That's my rule. Never budge in the least! Not an inch to the west! Not an inch to the east!” — Dr. Seuss
13. “Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find, for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.” — Dr. Seuss
14. “I’m a Zizzer-Zazzer-Zoo keeper, and I’m rather proud.” — Dr. Seuss
15. “You're in pretty good shape for the shape you are in!” — Dr. Seuss
16. “Fame! You'll be as famous as famous can be, with the whole wide world watching you win on TV. Except when they don't because, sometimes, they won't.” — Dr. Seuss
17. “But you… You ARE YOU! And, now isn't that pleasant!” — Dr. Seuss

How to Use Dr. Seuss Quotes

• Read these quotes aloud with your kids and let the rhymes do their work. Lines from Happy Birthday to You! and Oh, the Places You'll Go! make wonderful birthday and milestone messages, and the short one-liners are perfect for lunchbox notes. Pairing a favorite line with a small illustration or photo turns it into a keepsake.
• Teachers and parents use Dr. Seuss quotes on classroom walls, reading corners, and nursery decor because they pair a simple message with a memorable rhythm. Quotes about kindness, reading, and trying new things fit bulletin boards and library displays. The Picks table above marks the lines that work best as large-print wall art.
• For social media, the short quotes shine as captions: one line, one image, one credit. Graduation season is the natural home for Oh, the Places You'll Go! lines, while the gratitude quotes fit Thanksgiving posts and the being-yourself quotes fit personal milestones. Keep the exact wording and credit Dr. Seuss by name.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Dr. Seuss?

Dr. Seuss was the pen name of Theodor Seuss Geisel (1904-1991), the American author and illustrator behind more than 60 children's books. His best-known titles include The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, The Lorax, and Oh, the Places You'll Go!. Learn more on the Dr. Seuss Wikipedia page.

What is Dr. Seuss's most famous quote?

The most widely shared Dr. Seuss quote is "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened," though its exact source is debated. Among lines verified from his books, "Oh, the places you'll go!" and "A person's a person, no matter how small" are the most famous.

Are all the quotes attributed to Dr. Seuss really his?

No. Several beloved lines, such as "Be who you are and say what you feel" and "Why fit in when you were born to stand out," have no verified source in his books or interviews. In this collection, those are honestly labeled "Attributed to Dr. Seuss" so you know which lines are verified and which are widespread but unconfirmed.

How can I use these Dr. Seuss quotes?

Use them in birthday cards, classroom posters, graduation speeches, and nursery decor, or as captions for social media posts. The short one-liners work especially well paired with photos. Always credit him by name when you share a quote.