Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss! & National Read Across America Day

February 26, 2014 The Cat in the Hat 6

This coming Sunday will be Dr. Suess’s 110th birthday! The iconic children’s book author whose work is familiar to “nearly every living American who ever learned to read” (Denver Post) was born March 2, 1904.  His whimsical books, with their rollicking rhymes, wordplay, and instantly-recognizable artwork, are practically required reading for the under-7 set.  Which of us hasn’t read The Cat in the Hat, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Horton Hears a Who, Green Eggs and Ham, or The Lorax at some point in our lives? 

Seuss’s children’s books were so ubiquitous, and so influential, that his birthday is also National Read Across America Day, a day when children, along with parents, teachers, and librarians, celebrate reading. Since March 2 falls on a Sunday this year, Read Across America Day will be celebrated on Monday, March 3 so schools across the country can participate.

Check out The Denver Post‘s wonderful article on Dr. Seuss’s life and work.  Celebrate his birthday and Read Across America Day by revisiting a few of your favorite Dr. Seuss books and sharing the joy of reading with a child.  Here’s Neil Gaiman’s wonderful narration of Green Eggs and Ham to get you started (below.)  Or you might enjoy Hunter Davis’s impression of famous British actors reading The Cat in the Hat (he’s quite good, except when he attempts Judi Dench.) You and your child can also visit Seussville.com , the official website of Dr. Seuss’s works.  And if you live near one of these cities, you can view an exhibit of Dr. Seuss’s private hat collection sometime this year!

6 Responses to “Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss! & National Read Across America Day”

    • Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard

      His books are so delightful! I’m curious, though — how well does he translate into German? I’ve always thought Seuss would be harder to translate than most authors, because of the combination of rhyming and made-up words. (Obviously you can and probably have read him in English, Peggy, but I remember that you grew up in East Germany, so I assume from your comment that his books have been published in translation there?)