Guess Who's 50?

Here’s something nifty, guess who’s turning 50? The Cat in the Hat that’s who. It was fifty years ago today that Theodore Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, introduced the world to one of the most famous felines, The Cat in the Hat.

In a Life magazine article back in the mid-1950s, Pulitzer Prize-winning author John Hersey stated that American children couldn’t read because their classrooms were too boring and bland. According to him, traditional books could not compete with the more fun and interesting “stimuli” such as comics and cartoons. At that time, Geisel was challenged to write a book that children in the first grade wouldn’t be able to resist. He took on the challenge, and using only 236 words, Geisel wrote a story that would be published by Random House in 1957 that would not only change the way children learn to read at that time, but one that would continue to have an impact on children today.

To come up with a story that would engage young readers, but would be written simple enough for them to understand, Geisel said he selected his words from a beginning reader’s word list. For the the title, he said he simply chose the first two words on the list that rhymed. Unfortunately, writing the book took a little longer than choosing it’s title. Geisel worked for 1 ½ years before completing The Cat in the Hat.

Besides being an easy read, The Cat in the Hat offers a plot that is simple and meaningful. Children will express joy, astonishment, and occasional disapproval while reading this story about an independent and michievous creature who breaks all the rules and brings chaos to the children he meets.

Thank you Dr. Seuss and happy birthday to The Cat in the Hat.