Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!!

Seuss on the Loose

Before you read a story or two, I’d like to introduce

A famous author named Dr. Seuss.

You know, he was incredibly famous and so very alert.

Why, over 30 years ago, he wrote the Lorax, concerned about our trees getting hurt.

And other books like:

Green Eggs and Ham - with the famous character Sam I Am.

Ten Apples Up on Top, and don’t forget Hop on Pop.

And there’s Horton Hears a Who - where even the smallest person can help and that person may be you.

We remember him for:

The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, Sneetches on Beaches, Oh the Places You’ll Go,

Horton Hatches the Egg, If I Ran the Zoo, Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories to help you grow!

For A Wocket in My Pocket, Fox in Socks and One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish.

Check the library shelves for many more books to include if you wish.

His stories are filled with strange animals and people:

A boxing  gox, a twiddler owl or a zook.

A zin-a-zu bird, singing ying or a yook.

And let’s not forget the famous Cat in the Hat!

Can you imagine writing all that?

But before you pull any of these books off the shelf,

Let me tell you a little bit about Dr. Seuss’s life, myself.

He was born Theodore Seuss Geisel in Springfield, Massachusetts on March 2, 1904,

And received the Pulitzer Prize for writing books that entice us to read more.

He had no formal training in art,

But was a doodler right from the start.

He went to Dartmouth College in New Hampshire for his education,

Then moved across the country to LaJolla, California to live; not for vacation.

He was married and had no children of his own

And decided to use Dr. Seuss as the name most famously known.

However, in his hat was a trick, my mate.

For the name LeSeig appears on the books he wrote but did not illustrate.

You see, LeSeig is Geisel spelled backwards.  M-m-m-m a curious trait.

(Imagine calling your friend Tim "Mit", or your friend Liam "Mail".)

Don’t forget to try your name.

It may bring you some fame.

Well, I am sad to say at the age of 87 in 1991 he died.

And I’m sure the whole world must have sighed.

To lose such a famous author who was loved by both young and old.

We’ll certainly remember him for the rhyming stories he told!

So now it’s time to sit down right here.

And to read a Seuss book and cheer!!

Note:  I wrote this poem many years ago when I dressed up as the Cat in the Hat and visited elementary schools in our community.  I truly do love all of Suess’s books and appreciate his rhyming style that makes his books so unique for beginner readers.  I hope to see you at the library checking out books to read in celebration of Read Across America and Dr. Seuss’s birthday.  Have fun!!

Check out these websites for more information about Dr. Seuss:

http://www.drseussart.com/biography.html

http://www.nea.org/grants/886.htm

http://www.nea.org/grants/read-across-background.html

http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/geiselaward/geiselabout