Dr. Seuss’ classic book from 1954, Horton Hears a Who!, tells the story of a compassionate elephant with sensitive hearing who saves a town of tiny people living on a speck of dust. On the surface, this whimsical story is typical of Dr. Seuss with its rhyming cadence and simplistic illustrations. A more careful reading reveals important lessons underlying this narrative, lessons that are as relevant today as they were in 1954.Lesson #1: Do the right thing, even when others doubt or ridicule you. For most of the book, Horton is the only animal who hears the desperate pleas of the Whos. Other animals in the Jungle of Nool, lacking Horton’s giant ears, cannot hear them. They think Horton has gone crazy, and they eventually snatch the speck of dust with no concern for the Whos. Horton persists in his caretaker role, tracking down the speck of dust and rescuing the Whos from an uncertain fate. Each day our students are called to make dozens of decisions, some large and others small. Horton was an ally for the Whos, amplifying their voices. As educators, we must equip our students to speak for themselves and for others, even when they must do it alone.Lesson #2: Every voice matters. After Horton rescues the Whos from the clover patch, the animals from the Jungle of Nool threaten to cage him and boil the Whos. Horton pleads with the Whos to make as much noise as possible so that the animals will hear them and believe that they exist. The Mayor of Whoville rallies all the Whos to make a racket, but it is not enough. Desperate, the Mayor races through town to make sure that everyone is participating and finds Jo-Jo, “a very small, very small” Who. Oblivious, Jo-Jo is playing with a yo-yo and not making any noise. Once alerted to the need, Jo-Jo raises his voice to join the others, and it is just enough to allow animals other than Horton to hear them. After that, everyone in the Jungle of Nool is committed to protecting the Whos because they heard them