Green Eggs and Ham

Green Eggs and Ham

Author	Dr. Seuss
Illustrator	Dr. Seuss
Cover artist	Dr. Seuss
Language	English
Series	Beginner Books
Genre	Children's literature
Publisher	Random House
Publication date	August 12, 1960
Publication place	United States
ISBN	978-0-394-80016-5
OCLC	184476
Preceded by	One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
Followed by	The Sneetches and Other Stories

Green Eggs and Ham is a children's book by Dr. Seuss. It was published by the Beginner Books imprint of Random House on August 12, 1960. The book follows Sam-I-am as he follows an unnamed man, repeatedly asking him if he would like to try some green eggs and ham before the man eventually tries it and likes it. Seuss began writing Green Eggs and Ham after his editor Bennett Cerf bet him $50 (equivalent to $515 in 2023) that he could not write an engaging children's book with a vocabulary of 50 words. Finding the challenge difficult, Seuss used notes, charts, and checklists to keep track of his progress. The book covers themes of conflict between individuals, though Seuss has said that it lacks any deeper meaning. Green Eggs and Ham was widely praised by critics for its writing and illustration, and the challenge of writing a book in 50 words is regarded as a success. The book has been the subject of multiple adaptations, including a television series of the same name in 2019.