The sun did not shine.
It was too wet to play.
So we sat in the house
All that cold, cold wet day
I sat there with Sally.
We sat there we two
And I said, "How I wish
We had something to do!
...We looked!
Then we saw him step in on the mat!
We looked!
And we saw him!
The Cat in the Hat!
Why isn't it surprising that Theodore Seuss Geisel grew up within three blocks of a library and a park zoo.
Better known as Dr. Seuss, he is not really a doctor.
He studied at Oxford for a doctorate in Literature but dropped out before finishing.
It was his father's dream for him to achieve a PhD so Seuss adopted the title in his pen name.
Both a writer and illustrator, Seuss began his career publishing humorous articles and political cartoons in magazines.
Then in 1937 on a sea journey, the rhythm of the ship's engines inspired his first children's poetry book, And to Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street.
In 1954, his work took on new meaning when Life magazine published a report on illiteracy.
The article argued that children were not learning to read because children's books were boring.
Seuss' publisher compiled a list of 400 words he felt important for beginning readers.
Then he asked Seuss to cut the list to 250 words and write a book using those words.
That book was The Cat In The Hat.
It took Seuss almost a year to write.
Because of its simple vocabulary, beginning readers could read the book.
Although Seuss' books might be simple to read, they were not simple to write.
Seuss used the poetic meter anapestic tetrameter which consists of four rhythmic units with each composed of two weak beats followed by one strong beat (In ALL the whole TOWN the most WONderful SPOT) or he used trochaic meter in which one strong beat is followed by a weak beat (One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish).
When he used the trochaic meter, he mixed it up with Iambic tetrameter for some variation.
Iambic tetrameter is a line composed with four beats of unstressed then stressed syllables (da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM).
There now, does that sound easy?
Seuss devoted almost all his writing life to books for children although he never had any children himself.
The plots of the Dr. Seuss books are amusing, witty and often teach a lesson.
With their quirky characters and clever rhymes, the books are even better when read aloud.
Besides the beginner reader books, Seuss wrote books for children of all ages and several adult books.
Seuss' books significantly impacted the direction and importance of children's literature.
Every year on March 2nd schools and libraries all across the country celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday by reading his books.
Turn up your speakers and check out the Dr. Seuss Website at: www.seussville.com
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