As a child I always asked my parents to read me Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss. In this classic kids novel, Sam (seen in the picture) tries to convince another character (whose doesn't have a name) to eat green eggs and ham. The other character is extremely reluctant to taste Sam's dish, no matter how or where Sam presents them to him. By the end the other character finally tries the green eggs and ham, and ends up loving them.
If you look at the book literally, one secret message might be to get kids to eat their meals. The unnamed characters ends up liking the green eggs and ham, which gives kids the idea that they will like the foods served at meals. Personally I was always a picky eater when I was little, so perhaps my parents always read me this book in order to get me to eat peas, for example. In this case parental compliance is suggested but certainly not in an extreme way.
The concept of trying new types of food can also be applied to a greater theme. Perhaps the idea of simply taking risks was meant to be conveyed through this book. Doing something you have never done before, like eating something crazy like green eggs and ham, might really what the story is all about. Although some secret messages are depicted as negative, I do not believe that is the case here. This is one secret message that is important for kids to learn, and one that is not harmful for a child's development.
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