Theodor Seuss Geisel was born on March 2nd, 1904. He drew the above picture and the picture below was taken in front of the library named after him at UC San Diego. An amazing building:
Two links to his art and life
http://www.drseussart.com/bio/
http://www.catinthehat.org/history.htm
A link to the library
http://libraries.ucsd.edu/blogs/blog/seuss-day-2016/
My first cherished Seuss book (after Cat In The Hat and its sequels of course, which my sisters had before me) (Oh, and One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish) had to be Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories. Or was it Scrambled Eggs Super? Alls I recall is getting Happy Birthday To You! on my birthday in 1959 was a revelation. And it still makes a fun birthday gift for adults. My all-time favorite Seuss might be McEllligot’s Pool because it taught me your imagination can save you. Reading The Sneetches and Other Stories I learned about race, fear, tolerance, the dark side of stubbornness, and not to conform to the money-making machinery scams of Sylvester McMonkey McBean. Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose was supreme kindness and strength, the above-mentioned Yertle taught me to rebel against authoritarian tyrants, and The King’s Stilts and The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins were just darn clownish fun (plus there was a sequel where Bartholomew had to deal with a yucky Oobleck).
Come to think of it, I was raised so much on Seuss I ended up living on Mulberry Street in New York.
Here’s a great site where his books fly by for the picking:
http://www.seussville.com/books/book_detail.php?isbn=9780394800837
Okay kids until next time, enjoy this analysis of Sneetches
http://www.umich.edu/~childlit/Sneetches/display1.htm
BONUS!
Radio essay I did in Pasadena comparing The Lorax with James Cameron’s movie Avatar