Mayor’s Column: Annual reading celebration in March
“Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won!” Dr. Theodor Seuss Geisel.
“Read Across America” is an annual celebration of reading in March, the month in which the late Dr. Theodor Seuss Geisel, more affectionately known as Dr. Seuss, was born. In schools, libraries and other venues across New Jersey, students, parents and community members will participate in reading events this month.
Ted Geisel was born in 1904 and went on to attend both Dartmouth College and Oxford University where he wrote for the school’s magazines. It was at that time that he started using the pseudonym “Seuss,” his middle name and his mother’s maiden name. His first job was for a magazine called Judge, the leading humor magazine in America at the time. He submitted both cartoons and humorous articles. At the same time, he was submitting work to both Life and Vanity Fair magazines.
He joined the Army during World War II and was sent to Hollywood where he wrote for Frank Capra.
In 1954, Life published a report about illiteracy among school children. The publisher asked Geisel to write a book using only 250 words since this was thought to be the amount a first grader could absorb. Using only 222 of the words, Geisel wrote “The Cat in the Hat” which went on to instant success. His publisher then bet Geisel $50 that he could not write an entire book using only 50 words. The result was Geisel’s second success called “Green Eggs and Ham.”
At the time of his death in 1991, Geisel had written and illustrated 44 children’s books including “Oh, The Places You’ll Go,” “Fox in Socks” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” His books have been translated into 15 languages and over 200 million copies have been sold around the world. Geisel’s work provided the source for 11 children’s television specials, a Broadway musical and three feature motion pictures. His honors included two Academy Awards, two Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award and the Pulitzer Prize.
Geisel credited his mother for his ability and desire to create rhymes. She spent many hours reading with him.
Celebrate the birthday of Dr. Seuss and help bring the joy of reading to a child this month. “From there to here, here to there, funny things are everywhere.”
