Our Beloved Dr. Suess was a real person named Theodor Suess Geisel. He was born on March 2, 1904, in Springfield, Massachusetts. Ted Geisel intended to be an author of fiction novels for adults, but became sidetracked when he found that children’s books are just more fun. | ||
| “I'd rather write for kids, … They're more appreciative; adults are obsolete children…” | ||
Geisel’s father, T.R. Geisel, served as the superintendent of parks in Springfield, which included the Springfield Zoo. Ted (the junior Geisel) visited the zoo with his father many times as a child, of course. Later, as a young adult, his father would allow him to keep horns, antlers, bones and other artifacts of deceased animals.These were used to further his creativity as he imagined new animals that did not exist. Geisel wrote for the Dartmouth Jack-O-Lantern in college, and was later published in LIFE, Vanity Fair, and The Saturday Evening Post. He did post-graduate studies abroad in England and France, but never completed his doctorate degree. Taking on his mother’s maiden name of Suess as well as her love for rhyme, Ted Geisel made a left turn in his career. He incorporated his love for animals and things that seem odd and let his imagination soar. The first book he wrote, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, was anything but well-received by the publishing industry. It took him 27 tries, a friend, and a bit of luck to finally get it published in 1937. In all, Dr. Suess wrote 46 books for children, with The Cat in The Hat coming out a full 20 years after his first publication. It seems that persistence and silliness are among what we can learn from the beloved author. Ted Geisel was married twice but had no children. He died in La Jolla, CA in 1991. In 1997, National Education Association created Read Across America Day, which happens to fall on Ted Geisel’s birthday. It’s become a celebrated event known to many as Dr. Suess Day. | ||
Where do the works of Dr. Suess live on? Well, first and foremost, on the bookshelves and in the hearts of children where they belong, but also: The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum Springfield, MA Opened in 2017 as the only true museum of Dr. Suess’ work, this experience is open to the public Geisel Library The University of California, San Diego in La Jolla, CA This facility is home to over 15,000 manuscripts, drawing, photos and more, but is not open to the public. Legends Gallery La Jolla, CA Not a museum, but an authorized seller of Dr. Suess art, including sculptures, sketches and illustrations, his "Unorthodox Taxidermy" series, and his impressionism-inspired "Midnight Paintings." |
