And “Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!” is darn near 100 percent faithful to the spirit and imagery of Theodor Geisel’s beloved children’s book.

With its whimsically eccentric creatures, its loopy, curvy buildings and its uplifting moral themes, this latest animated adaptation (a TV cartoon version was released in 1970) of the adventures of the world’s cheeriest elephant enchants.

It’s fast-moving, but not breakneck in its pacing, a welcome departure from so many of today’s ’toons for kids. Directors Jimmy Hayward and Steve Martino give the characters a chance to breathe and develop, and none is better developed than the picture’s eponymous elephant.

Someone had the most excellent idea to cast Jim Carrey as the voice of Horton, and he does wonderful work. The overacting that marred his last performance as a Seuss character, the Grinch in 2000’s “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” is nowhere in evidence. It’s been replaced by an ebullient eagerness flavored with a dash of Carrey’s trademark snarkiness.

Horton is a carefree innocent, romping through the jungle of Nool with his posse of adoring smaller creatures, when his supersharp ears hear a faint bleat of “Help!” Thus begins an epic effort to A) figure out where in the blazes the bleat is coming from, then B) make himself believe it originates from a speck of dust that’s home to the itty-bitty race called the Whos, then C) save the diminutive civilization from the perils of the big, bad world, and finally, D) convince the other critters in his jungle abode that he’s not out of his cotton-pickin’ pachyderm gourd.

Down in microscopic Who-ville, the mayor (voiced by Steve Carell) is entertaining worries about his own sanity. He too is hearing things, odd indistinct noises bubbling down a drainpipe at City Hall. Getting his mind around the concept that they originate from a giant elephant in the sky who furthermore is invisible to Whos is as tough a task for His Honor the mayor as belief in Whos is for Horton.

Giant and tiny, Horton and His Honor are two sides of the same spiritual conundrum. Their story is all about folks who have faith that something – or some entity – that cannot be seen really exists. In each case they’re scorned, and in Horton’s case actively persecuted, by disbelieving others. Whether by design or happy coincidence, the fact that Carrey’s and Carell’s voices sound remarkably similar reinforces the sense of similarity between these two besieged beings.

A puritanical, rabble-rousing kangaroo voiced with fluty hauteur by Carol Burnett is Horton’s nemesis, aided by vulturelike hit bird voiced with a heavy Slavic accent by “Arrested Development’s” Will Arnett. Meanwhile, an officious town council leads the jeering section against the mayor.

The allegorical aspects are unmistakable and are put forward forthrightly in the screenplay credited to Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul, but though they’re front and center, the picture never feels preachy. The message about the power of belief and of acceptance of those who are different from ourselves – “a person’s a person, no matter how small” – is delivered with great good humor and cleverness. Carrey’s snappy patter and the joyousness of his vocalizations are complemented by the loosey-goosey movements of Horton’s computer-animated image. He’s remarkably light on his big fat feet, his eyes are comically expressive and his ears have versatile personalities of their own, converting into a bathing cap to cover his noggin while diving into the drink and later turning into paddles to propel him upriver.

The mayor, with his 96 chattering daughters and one sad-eyed son, is a devoted dad and an all-around good guy who is proud of his heritage, being the descendant of countless Who-ville mayors. He can’t figure out why his boy doesn’t want to follow in his forefathers’ footsteps, but comes to respect the lad’s desire to pursue his own individualistic path.

With its candy-colored visuals, solid storytelling and lively vocal performances, “Horton” has the power to make you laugh … and think. Somewhere, Dr. Seuss is smiling.

Soren Andersen:

253-597-8742, Ext. 6235

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Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!

Directors: Jimmy Hayward and Steve Martino

Cast: Featuring the voices of Jim Carrey, Steve Carell, Carol Burnett, Seth Rogen, Dan Fogler

Running Time: 1:28

Rating: G; suitable for all ages

Where: In wide release; showtimes Page 23-24