• If you are citizen of an European Union member nation, you may not use this service unless you are at least 16 years old.

  • You already know Dokkio is an AI-powered assistant to organize & manage your digital files & messages. Very soon, Dokkio will support Outlook as well as One Drive. Check it out today!

View
 

Seuss Background Information

Page history last edited by Cheryl Madden 10 years, 4 months ago

 

 

Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss)

Information About the Author – Personal and Professional

 

Dr. Seuss is the pen name of Theodor Seuss Geisel.  He was born on March 2, 1904, in Springfield, Massachusetts.  His father was curator of the Forest Park Zoo.  Geisel went to Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.  After graduating in 1925, he went to Oxford University in England, where he met his first wife, Helen Palmer (they were married in 1927).

 

Back in the United States, Geisel published cartoons for a humor magazine and got a job creating ads for an insecticide company.  His ads for a product called “Flit” soon became famous.  In 1936, he wrote his first book, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street.  It was rejected by dozens of publishers, but was finally published in 1937.

 

During World War II, Geisel wrote documentaries for the United States’ Army.  In 1951, after the war, his writing for the short cartoon movie, “Gerald McBoing-Boing,” won an Oscar.

 

In 1955, Geisel wrote The Cat in the Hat, using only 225 different words.  He wrote the book after reading a magazine article that stated that children’s books were boring.  His book was a tremendous success.  In 1960, a friend of Geisel’s bet him that he couldn’t write a book using only 50 different words.  He did, writing Green Eggs and Ham.  It was his most popular book.

 

Dr. Seuss wrote about 60 children’s books.  His last one, published in 1990, was Oh, the Places You’ll Go!  He died on September 24, 1991.

 

Unique or Interesting Facts

Dr. Seuss adopted his pseudonym after being removed as editor-in-chief of the “Jack-O-Lantern,” Dartmouth College's humor magazine.  He was asked to leave because he and his friends had hosted a drinking party (counter to prohibition laws and school policy).  Geisel continued to write for the magazine but began signing his work "Seuss." Seuss was Geisel's middle name as well as his mother's maiden name.

 

Characteristics of Writing

Dr. Seuss’s books are considered picture books.  They are easy reader/beginner books, but Seuss changed the approach of traditional easy readers of the 1950s, making his books much more appealing to children.  His cartoon-like illustrations have a unique style that is attractive and engaging.  The rhyming stories give the texts the predictable formats that emerging readers need.  His works are directed to the age group of kindergarten through third grade.  However, Dr. Seuss books have appeal for readers of all ages.

 

Dr. Seuss has influenced generations of readers and writers alike.  The contributions of Dr. Seuss had such an enduring impact on children’s literature that an award has been created in his honor.  The Theodor Seuss Geisel Award, begun in 2006 by the American Library Association, recognizes the most notable beginning reader book published each year.

 

List of Selected Works and Awards

 

And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street

 

1937

The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins

 

1938

The King's Stilts

 

1939

The Seven Lady Godivas

 

1939

Horton Hatches the Egg

 

1940

McElligot's Pool

Caldecott Honor Book

1947

Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose

 

1948

Bartholomew and the Oobleck

Caldecott Honor Book

1949

If I Ran the Zoo

Caldecott Honor Book

1950

Scrambled Eggs Super!

 

1953

Horton Hears a Who!

 

1954

On Beyond Zebra!

 

1955

If I Ran the Circus

 

1956

How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Also a feature length film

1957

The Cat in the Hat

Also a feature length film

1957

The Cat in the Hat Comes Back

 

1958

Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories

 

1958

Happy Birthday to You!

 

1959

One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish

 

1960

Green Eggs and Ham

 

1960

The Sneetches and Other Stories

 

1961

Dr. Seuss's Sleep Book

 

1962

Dr. Seuss's ABC: An Amazing Alphabet Book!

 

1963

Hop on Pop

 

1963

Fox in Socks

 

1965

I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew

 

1965

The Cat in the Hat Song Book

 

1967

The Foot Book

 

1968

I Can Lick 30 Tigers Today! and Other Stories

 

1969

My Book about ME

 

1970

I Can Draw It Myself

 

1970

Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You?: Dr. Seuss's Book of Wonderful Noises!

 

1970

The Lorax

Also a feature length film (2012)

1971

Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now!

 

1972

Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?

 

1973

The Shape of Me and Other Stuff

 

1973

There's a Wocket in My Pocket

 

1974

Great Day for Up!

 

1974

Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!

 

1975

The Cat's Quizzer

 

1976

I Can Read with My Eyes Shut!

 

1978

Oh Say Can You Say?

 

1979

Hunches in Bunches

 

1982

The Butter Battle Book

 

1984

You're Only Old Once!

 

1986

I Am NOT Going to Get Up Today!

 

1987

The Tough Coughs as He Ploughs the Dough

 

1987

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

 

1990

 

 

Personal Response

The books of Dr. Seuss are a staple of literature in early childhood.  The “funny rhythms and rhymes” (Temple, et al) of Seuss’s books complement the experience of a close, comforting read-aloud for young children and help them to develop a positive attitude toward the reading experience.  His classic rhymes also help children to experiment with word families and find success with reading because of the books’ predictability.  Dr. Seuss has a well deserved place in American culture.

 

Sources

Temple, C. (2011). Children's books in children's hands. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.

http://www.seussville.com/

http://www.catinthehat.org/

http://www.drseussart.com/

 

 

Comments (0)

You don't have permission to comment on this page.