Ashley Axmann Practicum Author Study- Dr. Seuss 11/9/12 Theodor Seuss Geisel was born in 1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts. Geisel died of throat cancer on September 24, 1991, at his home in La Jolla, California at the age of 87. Childhood: Dr. Seuss credits his mom for his ability and desire to create rhymes, she would chant rhymes when she would put babies to sleep. World War I and the Prohibition created problems for the German immigrants and his family, but his family was able to overcome. He was able to live a happy childhood. Drew animals at the zoo to develop his drawing skills, his dad owned the zoo. Late Adulthood: Dr. Seuss had an imaginary daughter, Chrysanthemum- Pearl because he was unable to have children of his own. He included her and many other fictional children on his Christmas card and even in his books. One year he got children from the neighborhood to be on his Christmas card. People would ask why he didn t have kids, he replied, You ll make em, I ll amuse em. Audrey Stone, his second wife married in 1986, after his first wife, Helen Palmer, committed suicide. Early Adulthood: Theodor then attended Dartmouth College where he became the editor- in- chief for their comic magazine, Jack-O-Lantern. After Theodor was unable to be the editor for the magazine, because he got in trouble with the law and school policy in 1925, he still wrote for the magazine under the name Seuss. His first article under the name Seuss was, The Pied Piper. This was the first record of Seuss, which happens to be his middle name and mother s maiden name. Helen Palmer told Ted he should become a drawer instead of a professor, he took her advice and became a cartoonist. Before Ted became big in writing children s books he worked in advertising. Ted married Helen Palmer and they moved to New York City. Earned a PHD by dropping out of grad school and pursuing his love for
drawing. 1949 moved to La Jolla, California where he lived for the rest of his life. About Author s Work: Dr. Seuss wrote 44 children s books, that have been translated into more than 15 languages, and more than 200 million copies have been made. 11 children television specials, a Broadway musical, and multiple motion pictures have also been made. Dr. Seuss was awarded two Academy awards, two Emmy awards, a Peabody award and a Pulitzer Prize. He was more interested in telling a good story than a real one. And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street was his first book in 1937, this book was rejected 27 times before actually published. Cat in the Hat, was his 13 th in 1957. o Became Dr. Seuss s defining work; it had 225 new- reader vocabulary words within it. o He was scared children were not learning enough in school. o Theodor became the definite child s author and illustrator after this book. Horton Hears a Who was one of Dr. Seuss s most powerful anti- prejudice works. o When a world of Whos world is about to be destroyed, Horton is the only one can save them by sticking up for them and fighting for them. Who- ville was portrayed to be two Japanese cities facing atomic bomb threats from the U.S. to end WWII. Yertle the Turtle is an activist book saying that even the smallest people can make a difference. There is WWII meaning behind this book also. Dr. Seuss s publisher bet him that he could not make a book with few words in it. So Dr. Seuss created Green Eggs and Ham with only 50 words in it, he won the bet. Dr. Seuss s memories of his hometown can be seen throughout his work. Dr. Seuss also got ideas in Switzerland, near Forka Pass, where he walked around the unique town and was inspired by the strange people. Last book Dr. Seuss wrote was Oh the Places You ll Go in 1990. My Favorites: Books: o Oh the Places we Will Go o Cat in the Hat o Green Eggs and Ham o How The Grinch Stole Christmas o Horton Hears a Who o Yertle the Turtle o The Sneetches o The Lorax Movies: o How the Grinch Stole Christmas o The Lorax o Cat in the Hat o Daisy head Mayzie o Horton Hears a Who
Dr. Seuss s Books: I Can Write, 1993 Illustrated by Roy One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish Ten Apples Up On Top, 1961 Hop on Pop Dr. Seuss s ABC: An Amazing Alphabet Book! The Foot Book The Eye Book Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? The Shape of Me and Other Stuff There's a Wocket in My Pocket! The Tooth Book The King's Stilts, 1939 Horton Hatches the Egg, 1940 McElligot's Pool, 1947 Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose, 1948 Bartholomew and the Oobleck, 1949 If I Ran the Zoo, 1950 Scrambled Eggs Super!, 1953 Horton Hears a Who!, 1954 On Beyond Zebra, 1955 If I Ran the Circus, 1956 How the Grinch Stole Christmas, 1957 Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories, 1958 Happy Birthday to You!, 1959 The Sneetches and Other Stories, 1961 Dr. Seuss's Sleep Book, 1962 I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew, 1965 I Can Lick 30 Tigers Today! And Other Stories, 1969 The Lorax, 1971 Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?, 1973 The Butter Battle Book, 1984 You're Only Old Once!, 1986 Oh, the Places You'll Go!, 1990 My Many Colored Days, 1996 (posthumous). Paintings by Steve Johnson & Lou Fancher. Would You Rather be a Bullfrog?, 1975 Illustrated by Roy Hooper Humperdink? Not Him!, 1976 Illustrated by Charles E. Martin The Tooth Book, 1989 Illustrated by Joe Mathieu & Roy The Pop-Up Mice of Mr. Brice 1989 Illustrated by Roy Great Day for Up, 1974 The Cat in the Hat, 1957, The Cat in the Hat Comes Back!, 1958 One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, 1960 Green Eggs and Ham, 1960 Hop on Pop, 1963 Dr. Seuss's ABC, 1963 The Cat in the Hat Beginner Book Dictionary, 1964 written with P.D. Eastman Fox in Socks, 1965 I Wish that I had Duck Feet, 1965 Illustrated by B. Tobey Come Over to My House, 1966 Illustrated by Richard Erdoes Wacky Wednesday, 1974 Illustrated by George Booth Because a Little Bug Went Ka-choo, 1975 Illustrated by Michael Frith Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!, 1975 The Cat's Quizzer, 1976 Please Try to Remember the First of Octember, 1977 Illustrated by Art Cummings I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!, 1978 Oh Say Can You Say?, 1979 I Am Not Going to Get Up Today!, 1987 Illustrated by James Stevenson And to Think That I saw it on Mulberry Street, 1937 The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins, 1938 The Cat in the Hat Song Book, 1967 My Book About Me, 1969, written with Roy I Can Draw It Myself, 1970 Maybe You should fly a Jet, Maybe You Should be a Vet, 1980 Illustrated by Michael J. Smollin Hunches in Bunches, 1982 Daisy-Head Mayzie, 1994 The Foot Book, 1968 The Eye Book, 1968 Illustrated by Joe Mathieu & Roy Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You?, 1970 In A People House, 1972 Illustrated by Roy Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now!, 1972 The Shape of Me and Other Stuff, 1973 There's a Wocket in My Pocket!, 1974
Link Literature with the curriculum: I believe there are many ways to incorporate Dr. Seuss s work within the curriculum. His themes of poetry, creativity, imagination, and rhyming are great writing tools that can be taught in the curriculum. Reading his books can teach poetry, help student with their rhyming words, spark imagination in their writing, and increase their knowledge of writing techniques. I think allowing students to read his books can also help their reading skills. It is hard for me to read his books without fumbling over the words, having students work on their pacing and pronunciation would be a fun activity for the students. Students can even work on their writing by using Dr. Seuss s books as an outline to follow. Having students read his different books, and then finding one they enjoyed most to use as an outline for their own writing would be a great activity. They can experiment with rhyming words, writing forms that Dr. Seuss uses, and also create poems they have found within his work. Asking students to brainstorm rhyming words can help them begin to write a poem or story like Dr. Seuss s. As a teacher one can also have a Dr. Seuss week that allows the students to really get into the spirit. Students can dress up as their favorite character from their favorite book, create art work, such as their own Seuss characters to include in their own books, decorate the room like a Seuss book to create a fun and creative environment, and more. Students can also create a booklet of their own Dr. Seuss work. By using Dr. Seuss s work as inspiration the students can showcase the work they have created, poems, stories, and more. Also any artwork they would like to include making their writing come to life. There are many more ways to incorporate Dr. Seuss into one s curriculum. One needs to be creative and will be able to create an educational lesson that is fun for the students. Book Reviews: One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish o This book had great, colorful pictures to entertain kids, and also had a lot of variety within it. There were many topics covered about how people are unique. Things are of different colors, sizes, have different moods, do different things, and more. The book is very fun to read and also gets a great message across that, Every day, from here to there, funny things are everywhere. Oh The Places You Will Go o Everyday people have to make decisions that lead them to a certain place in their life. From there they go through different situations that affect their life and lead them to a different place. This book has great pictures that made reading it fun and life situations that make people think. I love reading this book; it makes me think of my life and how the choices I have made have affected me. I will be moving to new places as I look for a job and this book helps me get excited for my new life. How the Grinch Stole Christmas o This great story of how a Grinch who hated Christmas learned the true meaning of the season, Christmas doesn t come from the stores but
instead comes from the people around and those you love. This is one of my favorite books and movies of Dr. Seuss s. It gives children a great message about Christmas spirit. The Sneetches o The message behind this book is great for students and adults alike to know. In Dr. Seuss s words, Sneetches are Sneetches and no kid of Sneetch is the best on the beaches. Everyone is unique and special in his or her own way. Whether they have stars on their bellies or not, everyone is important and no better than anyone else. Sleep Book o It can be crazy for children to think of many other people doing the exact same thing they are doing at that same moment. I believe this book allows children to think about the huge universe we live in and their part in it. They can also think about others and how their lives are similar and different. This book goes through many different characters, all different, that sleep in different ways. Some snore, some hang from trees, and some walk in their sleep. Everyone is unique and part of the same world. The Lorax o The Lorax gives a great message to students about protecting their environment and teaches it only takes one person to make a difference. It is hard to imagine a world without trees, grass, and nature but Dr. Seuss brings that to life in his book. I enjoy this book a lot and think it can really allow students to see the importance of their environment and encourage them to make a stand for what they want instead of waiting for others to do it.. It can also spur students to actually go out into their community and work to protect their environment. http://www.catinthehat.org/history.htm http://www.seussville.com/ http://www.seussdude.com/list- books.html