Dr. Seuss

Theodor Seuss Geisel: Author and Illustrator

What child has not heard of Dr. Seuss? Is there anyone present who has not read several of the forty-four books that he wrote and illustrated during his lifetime? Perhaps he is the most widely read children’s author. His book, Green Eggs and Ham, published in 1960, is the fourth best selling hardback book of all time. The Cat in the Hat, published in 1971 is the ninth best selling hardback book of all time, with 7.2 million copies sold as of 2000.

Born on March 2, 1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts, Theodor Seuss Geisel grew up in the home of Henrietta Seuss and Theodor Robert Geisel. His father was a parks superintendent. The park included a zoo and was located just three blocks from a library. Geisel graduated from Dartmouth College in 1925. He was editor of the Dartmouth magazine Jack-O-Lantern until he was asked to resign because he threw a drinking party for his friends. He continued to secretly write articles for the magazine signing his articles with his middle name, Seuss (which was also his mother’s maiden name).

Following graduation from Dartmouth, Geisel went to Oxford University in England with plans to become a college professor. This was what his father wanted him to become. However, he was bored with his studies and instead spent his time touring Europe. During his stay at Oxford he met and married Helen Palmer.

After returning to the United States, Geisel worked as a cartoonist for magazines such at The Saturday Evening Post, Life and Vanity Fair. During World War II, he turned to political cartoons and worked for the New York City daily newspaper.

Geisel’s first book was written in 1937, while making an ocean crossing to Europe. He was said to have been inspired by the rhythm of the ship’s engine to create the poem for And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street. When he reached home, he began to illustrate the book, using the style he had developed working in an advertising campaign for insecticide. He had added “Dr.” to his name because his father had wanted him to earn a doctorate at Oxford. Dr. Seuss submitted his book for publication but was rejected by twenty- nine publishers, before being accepted by Vanguard Press. Those who read the book felt it had little chance of commercial success with its sing-song style of verse. However, following publication the book became a huge success.

In 1954, an article appeared in Life magazine citing illiteracy among school children as a major problem. According to the article, children were not learning to read because the material offered to them was so boring. Seuss’s publisher sent him a list of 400 words and asked him to use them in his writing. Dr. Seuss cut the list to 220 words and created The Cat in the Hat, with a simple vocabulary that could be read by beginning readers. This began a series of books in the new simplified vocabulary sold as “Beginner Books,” and included the favorite, Green Eggs and Ham which uses a vocabulary of only 50 words.

Dr. Seuss also wrote several books under the name of Theo. LeSieg, which is Geisel spelled backward. He did not illustrate these books. He wrote one book, published in 1975, under the name of Rosetta Stone. He wrote and illustrated forty-four books under the name of Dr. Seuss. His books have been translated into more than 15 languages and have sold over 200 million copies worldwide. All time favorites include, Oh the Places You’ll Go, actually written for adults, Fox in Socks, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Dr. Seuss was reluctant to market his characters outside of his own books. He wanted to emphasize reading and make it fun, because he felt that reading was the most important skill to develop related to success. He did allow a few animated cartoons to be made from his books. He was the co-producer of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, which was very faithful to the original book. He was the winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1984 and three Academy Awards. His birthday, March 2, is now celebrated as Read Across America Day.

Geisel’s first wife Helen died following a difficult illness in 1967. The following year, he married an old friend, Audrey Dimond. Dr. Seuss died on September 24, 1991 at the age of 87 while in the middle of writing Hooray for Diffendoofer Day! The story was finished by Jack Prelutsky and the illustrations were finished by Lane Smith. Seuss had no children of his own. His wife Audrey, was placed in charge of all licensing matters. She approved the live-action film version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas and The Cat in the Hat. However she disliked the latter so much that no further live-action adaptations will be produced. An animated version of Horton Hears a Who is set for release in 2008.

As an author for over fifty years, Dr. Seuss delighted children and adults alike. Many of his books included a lesson to be learned along with the mischievous and whimsical side of childhood. Two weeks before his death he was asked if he had a final message for his readers. He said his motto for himself had always been, “You can do better than this.” And so he left this message for all his readers, “We can do, and we’ve got to do, better than this.”

 

 

 

Chris Van Allsburg, A Popular Illustrator

Chris Van Allsburg is an American author and illustrator. He was awarded the Caldecott Medal for book illustrations on two occasions, for Jumanji (1982) and The Polar Express (1985). Both of these books, which he wrote and illustrated, were made into motion pictures. He also received a Caldecott Honor Medal in 1980 for The Garden of Abdul Gasazi.

Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on June 18, 1949, Chris spent his childhood years in several different neighborhoods in and around Grand Rapids. At one time he lived on a street that closely resembled the one of the cover of The Polar Express. He lived with his mom, dad, sister and two Siamese cats.

Although he liked to draw, Van Allsburg did not take any art classes in high school. Almost by accident, he was accepted into the University of Michigan . The guidance counselor told him he had to choose an area of study. After looking at the college offerings, he chose Architecture and Design because he thought it sounded interesting.

At the University of Michigan he majored in sculpture, learning bronze casting, wood carving, resin molding and other techniques. He graduated in 1972 and continued in graduate school at the Rhode Island School of Design. After earning a master’s degree Chris set up a sculpture studio in Providence, Rhode Island. He married Lisa Morrison whom he had met four years earlier at the University of Michigan. Lisa had been an art student also, and was now an elementary school art teacher in Providence.

Sculpture was Van Allsburg’s primary interest at this time, however he began to do some picture drawing at night. Some of his drawings were exhibited in 1978. His wife, Lisa, who used story books in her third grade class, encouraged Van Allsburg to consider doing illustrations for story books. A friend of the family, author and illustrator David Macaulay, also felt Chris could be a book illustrator. Macaulay introduced Chris to his editor, Walter Lorraine, at Houghton Mifflin Company in Boston. Mr. Lorraine encouraged Chris to do his own stories, as well as the illustrations. Although still interested in sculpture, Chris took time out to write and illustrate The Garden of Abdul Gasazi, published in 1979. This book went on the win the Boston Globe Horn Book Award and a Caldecott Honor medal.

Since that time Van Allsburg has received numerous honors for his contributions to children’s literature. He has written and illustrated 17 books, and illustrated three others that were written by Mark Helprin. Chris continues to live in Providence, Rhode Island, and has two children, Sophia and Anna.

In every book, Van Allsburg includes a bull terrier named Fritz. Fritz is based on a real-life dog owned by a brother-in-law. The dog appears as a real dog or a toy, as a tribute to Fritz’s death. Sometimes Van Allsburg asks friends to model for his drawings, and at other time he builds models of buildings and boats before he draws them. Many of Van Allsburg’s illustrations are drawn from a child’s eye height. This appeals to children because it portrays the world as they see it. It may also appeal to adults because it reminds them of their own childhood perceptions. Van Allsburg’s art has also been featured on the cover of one edition of C.S. Lewis’ series of The Chronicles of Narnia. In the past ten years Van Allsburg has published two new books, Zathura, (2002) and Probuditi (2006).