James Baquet

    Theodor Seuss Geisel (1904-1991), better known as “Dr. Seuss,” was an American illustrator and author of children’s books. Most pronounce the word “Seuss” in his pen name to rhyme with “juice”; it originally rhymed with “voice.” He added “doctor” because his father had always wanted him to study medicine. During his lifetime, his books sold over 600 million copies. They had been translated into more than 20 languages, and four feature films have been made based on them.

    There were around 50 titles (many of them quite catchy) including, among the more popular, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” “One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish,” “Green Eggs and Ham,” “Hop on Pop,” “The Lorax,” “The Butter Battle Book,” and “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!”

    In virtually every case, the books use creative rhyme and simple illustrations to catch young readers. Some have political messages: “The Butter Battle Book” is about the foolishness of war, and “The Lorax” is about a creature who “speaks for the trees” — a clear ecological message.

    Other books are just plain silly, including what is perhaps his most popular, “The Cat in the Hat” (and its sequels). On a rainy day, the Cat visits Sally and her brother, along with his friends Thing One and Thing Two. The children’s mother is away, and while trying to entertain the kids, the Cat and his friends ruin the house. Fortunately, he has a machine that puts everything right again — just as mother returns home.

    Geisel was born in Massachusetts. All four of his grandparents had come from Germany. He was in charge of his college’s humor magazine, but when he got caught drinking alcohol in his room, the dean forced him to resign. He continued to submit works to the magazine, though, under the pen name “Seuss.”

    After brief studying at Oxford, he returned to the United States and became a cartoonist and commercial illustrator. His first standalone book, “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,” was published in 1937.

    And the rest, as they say, is history.

    Vocabulary:

    Which word above means:

    1. quit, stop working on something

    2. official of a school or college

    3. used by itself, here, made without help from others

    4. having a pleasing sound

    5. having the same end sounds, like “cat” and “hat”

    6. silly or useless behavior

    7. for pay, professional

    8. nearly

    9. “fake” name used by an author

    10. related to the environment