What do you think?
Rate this book
The Zax
"One day, making tracks
In the Prairie of Prax,
Came a North-Going Zax
And a South-Going Zax..."
This story, often read published within The Sneetches and Other Stories, is the memorable tale of a South-Going Zax and a North-Going Zax, who seem determined to butt heads on the prairie of Prax.
Here Dr. Seuss once again reminds us of the futility of holding pointless grudges over senseless trivialities. In The Zax we find Seuss at his best, with wacky illustrations and tongue-twisting rhymes like only he can.
In the Prairie of Prax,
Came a North-Going Zax
And a South-Going Zax..."
This story, often read published within The Sneetches and Other Stories, is the memorable tale of a South-Going Zax and a North-Going Zax, who seem determined to butt heads on the prairie of Prax.
Here Dr. Seuss once again reminds us of the futility of holding pointless grudges over senseless trivialities. In The Zax we find Seuss at his best, with wacky illustrations and tongue-twisting rhymes like only he can.
10 pages, Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1961
3 people are currently reading
134 people want to read
About the author
Dr. Seuss
974Ìýbooks18.1kÌýfollowersTheodor Seuss Geisel was born 2 March 1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts. He graduated Dartmouth College in 1925, and proceeded on to Oxford University with the intent of acquiring a doctorate in literature. At Oxford he met Helen Palmer, who he wed in 1927. He returned from Europe in 1927, and began working for a magazine called Judge, the leading humor magazine in America at the time, submitting both cartoons and humorous articles for them. Additionally, he was submitting cartoons to Life, Vanity Fair and Liberty. In some of his works, he'd made reference to an insecticide called Flit. These references gained notice, and led to a contract to draw comic ads for Flit. This association lasted 17 years, gained him national exposure, and coined the catchphrase "Quick, Henry, the Flit!"
In 1936 on the way to a vacation in Europe, listening to the rhythm of the ship's engines, he came up with And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, which was then promptly rejected by the first 43 publishers he showed it to. Eventually in 1937 a friend published the book for him, and it went on to at least moderate success.
During World War II, Geisel joined the army and was sent to Hollywood. Captain Geisel would write for Frank Capra's Signal Corps Unit (for which he won the Legion of Merit) and do documentaries (he won Oscar's for Hitler Lives and Design for Death). He also created a cartoon called Gerald McBoing-Boing which also won him an Oscar.
In May of 1954, Life published a report concerning illiteracy among school children. The report said, among other things, that children were having trouble to read because their books were boring. This inspired Geisel's publisher, and prompted him to send Geisel a list of 400 words he felt were important, asked him to cut the list to 250 words (the publishers idea of how many words at one time a first grader could absorb), and write a book. Nine months later, Geisel, using 220 of the words given to him published The Cat in the Hat , which went on to instant success.
In 1960 Bennett Cerf bet Geisel $50 that he couldn't write an entire book using only fifty words. The result was Green Eggs and Ham . Cerf never paid the $50 from the bet.
Helen Palmer Geisel died in 1967. Theodor Geisel married Audrey Stone Diamond in 1968. Theodor Seuss Geisel died 24 September 1991.
Also worked under the pen name: Theo Le Sieg
In 1936 on the way to a vacation in Europe, listening to the rhythm of the ship's engines, he came up with And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, which was then promptly rejected by the first 43 publishers he showed it to. Eventually in 1937 a friend published the book for him, and it went on to at least moderate success.
During World War II, Geisel joined the army and was sent to Hollywood. Captain Geisel would write for Frank Capra's Signal Corps Unit (for which he won the Legion of Merit) and do documentaries (he won Oscar's for Hitler Lives and Design for Death). He also created a cartoon called Gerald McBoing-Boing which also won him an Oscar.
In May of 1954, Life published a report concerning illiteracy among school children. The report said, among other things, that children were having trouble to read because their books were boring. This inspired Geisel's publisher, and prompted him to send Geisel a list of 400 words he felt were important, asked him to cut the list to 250 words (the publishers idea of how many words at one time a first grader could absorb), and write a book. Nine months later, Geisel, using 220 of the words given to him published The Cat in the Hat , which went on to instant success.
In 1960 Bennett Cerf bet Geisel $50 that he couldn't write an entire book using only fifty words. The result was Green Eggs and Ham . Cerf never paid the $50 from the bet.
Helen Palmer Geisel died in 1967. Theodor Geisel married Audrey Stone Diamond in 1968. Theodor Seuss Geisel died 24 September 1991.
Also worked under the pen name: Theo Le Sieg
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
February 7, 2017
Peculiar short poem.
March 17, 2017
Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that my first Dr. Seuss would be in my Project Management class in grad school.
To say that life works in mysterious ways would be a gross understatement.
To say that life works in mysterious ways would be a gross understatement.
May 21, 2023
4 stars. Super short, but quite fun to read and full of quotable quotes!
Of course the world DIDN'T stand still. The world grew.
In a couple of years, a new highway came through
And they built it right over those two stubborn Zax
And left them there, standing un-budged in their tracks.
Of course the world DIDN'T stand still. The world grew.
In a couple of years, a new highway came through
And they built it right over those two stubborn Zax
And left them there, standing un-budged in their tracks.
April 17, 2024
In his typically humorous, rhyming style, and in a way that cuts right to the heart of the matter, Dr. Seuss tells his story about two characters who refuse to compromise. It is useful for teaching children about the difference between big vs. little problems, as well as for brainstorming possible strategies or Kelso’s choices to break such an impasse.
May 31, 2018
I was at an event for work, and read this to a group of school kids. They loved it.
A great book for kids. It shows you how they think about certain situations.
A must read for young children.
But not my favorite Dr. Seuss book.
A great book for kids. It shows you how they think about certain situations.
A must read for young children.
But not my favorite Dr. Seuss book.
December 22, 2017
Isn't the Zax are cute?
March 25, 2019
Had a few words the students thought was shocking to hear in a book, but otherwise, good story.
September 12, 2019
The Zax was another one of my favorites by Dr. Seuss. My mom would read this book to me sometimes before bed. We would read a bunch of Dr. Seuss because that's what she had in her office.
Read
October 22, 2021a great message in this story.
Read
February 8, 2022Those stubborn Zax are idiots
January 9, 2023
We listened to this in church. It was a lot of fun, and I learned not to be Zaxed up!
March 5, 2024
A good book that shows that being stubborn doesn't help anyone, because when you stop the world doesn't stop with you.
February 26, 2025
My favorite dr Seuss
April 23, 2020
a short story, very easy to read, a story about stubbornness and how everyone else will just work around you and only you will be affected by your own stubbornness/.
June 12, 2016
Very persuasive.
Read
December 13, 2017The Zax is about two different Zaxs' that happen to bump into each other in the middle of nowhere. When the two Zaxs' bump into each other neither of them will move out of the way for the other. They stand there for years never moving, and the world around them goes on.
1) Students can be asked how to the two Zaxs' can solve their problems
2) Be a lesson about compromise
3) Teach students about manner
4) Be an metaphor for the Civil War as it focuses on the North and South and how they refused to compromise
5) Learning rhyming
1) Students can be asked how to the two Zaxs' can solve their problems
2) Be a lesson about compromise
3) Teach students about manner
4) Be an metaphor for the Civil War as it focuses on the North and South and how they refused to compromise
5) Learning rhyming
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.