The Lorax was first published in 1971 during the height of the environmentalist movement of the period. It sold nearly one million copies within its first three years of release and continues to be one of the most popular Dr. Seuss books, particularly among adults. It has been translated into two dozen languages and was the personal favorite story of Dr. Seuss from his entire collection.

The Lorax has been banned by many schools on the grounds that it is too anti-industry; it has been challenged in countless others. To date, it remains the only Dr. Seuss book known to have been banned in any schools. In response to the book, several pro-logging books were released by industry groups to counter the message of The Lorax, but none were commercially successful.