State Library of Kansas  :  Kansas Center for the Book  :  Letters About Literature  :  Past Winners

2007 Winner: Jamie Allan, Ottawa (Level 3)

Book Title: Oh, The Places You’ll Go!

Book Author: Dr. Seuss

Dear Dr. Seuss,

The first time I really acknowledged your book, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, it was a horrific time in my life. I was sitting crossed legged on a thin mattress in the Eating Disorder Unit in Baptist Medical Center. It was Christmas night, and I was in my small room that was issued to me upon my arrival at a deathly low weight. I was steadily trying to avoid the eyes of my typically absent father, by watching the twinkling Christmas lights out my 9th story window. My attention was abruptly forced back to my father, as a large hard-covered book was plopped into my lap. Astonished, I glanced down at the multi-colored cover of Oh, the Places You’ll Go! Now, why in the world would my father be giving me a dinky little children’s book when I was in a hospital struggling to survive Anorexia? I absently started to flip through the brilliantly colored pages and read the type. My dad then explained to me that even though he wasn’t always there for me, he believed I could truly go places. He also professed that this was only a stage in my life that I would eventually get through if I was willing to work at it. Stunned, I hugged and kissed him goodbye and silently watched him walk out my door. I glanced down at the colorful display of art on the outside cover and flipped it open:

All Alone!
Whether you like it or not
Alone will be something
you’ll do a lot.

Sitting on the edge of that bed I realized that I felt more alone than I ever had before. A silent tear fell down my face as I felt the only smidgen of previous hope that I had slide out of me with that single tear. Could it get better? Will I ever get through this? I decided to continue reading:

On and on you will hike.
And I know you’ll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.

By reading this I suddenly grasped the idea that I was doing this to myself. Me, and only me could make the decision to get better. I can make my own happy ending. I thought this was just a children’s book. Don’t get me wrong, I was doubting that it wasn’t initially written to inspire little kids, but how in the world did it relate to my struggles? I kept reading, desperate to find out what next piece of inspiration I could extract from this unconventional book:

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
KID, YOU’LL LOVE THE MOUNTAINS!

At that moment I suddenly came to appreciate you and your work, realizing that children might not be your only audience. Through this story, I recognized that I could go somewhere, and that this can be just a stage in my life, if I so choose. I discovered that not only could I get out of this crummy hospital, but I could move mountains! The choice of the places I would go was solely in my possession. That last little sliver of hope that seeped out of me earlier was insignificant as a whole rush of it surged right back into me as I read:

Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!

I am now out of the hospital, and working steadily towards fully recovering. Whenever times get rough, which sometimes happens, I pull out Oh, the Places You’ll Go! and think back to that cold Christmas night and how your childhood classic changed me for the rest of my life. I draw so much encouragement and perseverance from this book to keep going, and that I too will go places. It inspired me not to give up on getting better. I would like to thank you for helping me on the way to recovery with your inspiring literature!

Sincerely,
Jamie Allan

Blue Skyways | State Library of Kansas
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