Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss! By Nadine Abrahams

Childhood As a child, Theodor had a great imagination Constantly doodling, drawing strange-looking people and animals. Dad worked at zoo and Theodor would draw the animals.

1 st book In 1936, Theodor took a steamship across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe. He listened to the ship’s engines and imagined a musical parade, which inspired his first book. He went to many publishers, and no one thought it was good enough to publish!! How many publishers do you think he tried?

And to Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street 27 publishers rejected his first book!! He always believed in himself and never gave up.

A Challenge In 1957, a publisher challenged Dr. Seuss to write a book for beginning readers. He wrote this books using 220 first grade words. Can you guess which book that was?

Cat in the Hat

Another Challenge Next, a friend bet Dr. Seuss that he couldn’t write an entire book using only 50 different words. He did it! Can you guess the book?

Green Eggs and Ham His friend never paid him the $50 even though Dr. Seuss won the bet!!

Writing Inspiration One day when Dr. Seuss was working in his studio, he got hot and opened the window. The wind blew in and picked up his sketches from his drawing table and lifted them into the air. When they dropped to the floor, an elephant sketch landed on top of a tree drawing. This gave him an idea for a new book – can you guess which one?

Horton Hatches the Egg Where do you get your writing ideas from?

Cared About the World Dr. Seuss was a very compassionate man. He visited Hiroshima, Japan after it was devastated during World War II by a nuclear bomb. This inspired him to write Horton Hears a Who. He felt very strongly that every person was important, no matter who they were.

Concerned About War Dr. Seuss was worried about how much countries fought each other. This inspired him to write a book where the Zooks and the Yooks argue about which is better…butter side up or butter side down. Does it really matter?

Environment Dr. Seuss also worried about what we were doing to our planet. He wrote a book which warned us about what can happen if we pollute the Earth. Can you guess which book that is? (hint, it was a movie that opened March 1, 2012!)

Save the Planet!

Dr. Seuss’ real name was Theodor S. Geisel. Seuss was his mother’s maiden name, and he added the “Dr.” to sound more important. Dr. Seuss also wrote under the pen name Theo. Le Sieg. LeSeig is Geisel spelled backwards. He always loved a joke!

Theodore wrote and illustrated 44 children’s books. These books have been translated into more than 15 different languages. Dr. Seuss inspired millions of children of all ages to explore the joys of reading.

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

Seuss Trivia Test your knowledge! Who came to visit on a rainy day when mother was away?

“One fish, two fish, _________________”

Fox Sock Box Knox. Knox in Box ______________.

“I do not like them, Sam-I-Am. I do not like ____.”

What color ring does the cat leave in the bathtub in The Cat in the Hat Comes Back?

PINK!

Who is the King of Mud?

How many stripes are on The Cat in the Hat’s hat?

Five

Who “speaks for the trees and all living things, to clean the air and make sure birds sing”?

What does the Cat in the Hat eat in the bathtub?

Cake

“He didn’t care much for Christmas at all. Could it be that his heart was two sizes too small?”

“Oh the wonderful things this guy can do! He can go like a cow. He can go moo, moo.”

Who is the only “Who” who actually saw the Grinch?

Little Cindy Lou Who

“Oh the things they will bump! Oh, the things they will hit! Oh, I do not like it! Not one little bit!” Who said this?

What was the name of the Grinch’s dog?

Max

“I might catch a thin fish, I might catch a stout fish. I might catch a short or a long, long drawn-out fish.” Where is this character fishing?

What was the one word the Lorax left written on a stone?

Reading Pledge Books are good friends, The best that we’ve seen. They take us to places That we’ve never been. There’s nothing like reading To bring on a grin. Now open your books; Let the reading begin!

Bibliography Dr. Seuss S.S. Caledonia Dr. Seuss. graphy.html graphy.html Dr. Seuss