There once was a man named Seuss whose pen was as mighty as the thunder of Zeus.
March 2 was the birthday of Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss. His most well-known book, “The Cat in the Hat” will celebrate the 53rd anniversary of its release March 12.
Prior to Grinches, Loraxes and Whos, Geisel worked many different jobs before publishing his first children’s book, “And To Think I Saw it on Mulberry Street” in 1937.
Seuss captured the hearts of many children with his off-the-wall characters and phantasmagorical worlds where cats wore hats, a fox wore socks, wockets enjoyed living in pockets and where one could cram green eggs and ham.
Gesiel was born in 1904 in Springfield, Mass. The son of a brewmaster and baker, Geisel memorized the “pie-selling chants” his mother made up whenever he had trouble going to sleep and credited those rhymes for influencing his work.
He attended Dartmouth College where he became editor in chief of “Jack-O-Lantern,” its humor magazine. But party antics eventually cut his tenure short, which resulted in Geisel becoming only a contributor. This would mark the first time Geisel would use his “Seuss” moniker to get past the college officials.
After Dartmouth Geisel’s father gathered enough money to send him to Oxford University. Not knowing what career path to pursue he decided to become a professor. It was at Oxford where fellow student Helen Palmer noticed his drawings and convinced him to be an artist.
Geisel took her advice, made her Mrs. Seuss and began his cartooning career.
After noticing his work in various publications, Standard Oil hired him in its advertising department where he worked for the next 15 years.
Geisel was also known for his political cartoons. He contributed three to five political cartoons a week to “PM,” which was considered a liberal publication during World War II.
Wanting to contribute more to the war effort he joined Frank Capra’s Signal Corps in the U.S. Army and helped make films relevant to the war effort.
Geisel’s big break into children’s literature was when he was contracted by Viking Press to illustrate a book of children’s sayings in 1931. While the book was received as dull, Geisel was praised for this illustrations.
His love of drawing, writing and rhyming later created his first book “And To Think I Saw it on Mulberry Street.”
Yet, it was rejected by 27 publishers before an old Dartmouth friend of Geisel’s who worked for Vanguard Press helped him publish it.
Geisel made an impact into the realm of children’s literature and solidifying an unmatched legacy.
The Cat in the Hat and his cake
“The Cat in the Hat” and Dr. Seuss are synonymous.
When Theodore Geisel’s most celebrated book was first published on March 12, 1957 it sold about 12,000 copies a month. By November 1958, more than 300,000 copies were sold, a sign of the success the book would reach in the coming years.
Part of the reason the book made such an impact was because the country was in the middle of a reading crisis around the time it was published, said Judith Haut, vice president of communications for Random House Children’s Books, in a July 20, 2007 FOXnews.com article.
The book is also the driving force of Project 236, a literary initiative where books are donated for every copy of “The Cat in the Hat” sold.
Since its publication the book has also spawned a television special that aired March 1971, its own feature-length film in 2003 and a ride at Universal Studios’ Islands of Adventure.
“The Cat in the Hat” has become so deep-seated in today’s culture that even Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid quoted the book when talking about immigration 2007.
Recently in honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, first lady Michelle Obama chose “The Cat in the Hat” to read to 200 elementary students at the Library of Congress.
As people stroll down memory lane during the book’s 53rd anniversary, they may remember how the iconic feline in his red-and-white striped hat played a major part in their childhood.
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