Picture this. You just flying-saucered in from Mars and the first person you meet tells you, "The first thing you should do on Earth is get yourself a copy of Horton Hatches the Egg and read it with your Martian youth."

Drawing from your extensive research on the behavior of earth creatures, you ponder the title: "Hmmm. Horton's a male-sounding name and hatching is a role usually (but not always!) reserved for females. The title is a complete sentence and contains alliteration, suggesting intelligence and sophistication on the part of the author." Yes, Martian-you is kind of a nerd.

The title of this story is poetic, goofy, and intriguing. It draws us in, is true to the story, and reveals just enough to get us interested. But it does nothing to prepare us for what comes out of that egg. Sigh.