Imagine That!: How Dr. Seuss Wrote The Cat in the Hat - Hardcover

Sierra, Judy

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0553510975 ISBN 13: 9780553510973

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers, 2017

Synopsis

A lively new picture-book biography of the most beloved children’s book author of all time: Dr. Seuss!

Have you ever wondered how the great Dr. Seuss wrote his most famous book? Did you know that for The Cat in the Hat, he wasn’t allowed to make up the fun words he was known for—like OOBLECK and IT-KUTCH and HIPPO-NO-HUNGUS? He was only allowed to use words from a very strict list!
 
This bouncy account of the early career of Dr. Seuss (a.k.a. Ted Geisel) proves that sometimes limitations can be the best inspiration of all.
 
Kid-friendly prose (with Seussian rhyme for Ted’s dialogue) and whimsical illustrations by award winner Kevin Hawkes recall the work of Dr. Seuss himself. Writing tips from Dr. Seuss and exclusive letters from the author and illustrator, detailing how they created this book, are included!

About this title

About the Author

JUDY SIERRA has written more than forty books for children, including New York Times picture book bestsellers, Wild About Books, illustrated by Marc Brown, and Antarctic Antics: A Book of Penguin Poems illustrated by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey. Judy's books have won awards including American Library Association Notable Books for Children, the E.B. White Read-Aloud Award from the Association of Booksellers for Children, many Children's Choice Awards, and the Aesop Prize from the American Folklore Society. Before she became a full-time writer, Judy worked as a children's librarian, a puppeteer, and a college professor. She grew up in Falls Church, Virginia, and now lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband, Bob Kaminski, and their dog, Keiko. Visit her on the Web at judysierra.net.

KEVIN HAWKES is the illustrator of over forty acclaimed picture books and chapter books, including Chicken Cheeks, Library Lion, The Librarian Who Measured the Earth, Weslandia, and Sidewalk Circus. His vibrant colors, unusual perspectives, and dry sense of humor are hallmarks of his work. He lives with his charming wife and children in southern Maine, where he can often be found wandering aimlessly in his garden. When forced indoors, he works quite happily painting cobalt-blue skies, imaginary landscapes, and flying pianos. Visit him on the Web at kevinhawkes.com.

Reviews

Gr 1–3—The 1950s was a boring time for beginning readers in the United States. After a critic wrote about the lack of fun books in this category, Seuss was determined to write one of his very own. Limited by the words that could be used for such a book, he created the classic The Cat in the Hat. Adults and children alike will enjoy reading about Seuss, his funny hats, and all the work that went into making one of the most well-known children's book characters of all time. Hawkes adeptly uses Seuss-like illustrations to tell his story, incorporating famous Seussian words, characters, and the man himself throughout. Children will love to learn more about this renowned author and how he came up with such a simple but ingenious book. Educators could use this work for various writing activities and lessons. Also Sierra's focus on how long it took Seuss to finish his masterpiece will communicate to young readers the stamina it takes to create. VERDICT An easy addition to any elementary school nonfiction collection.—Molly Dettmann, Moore Public Library, OK

Edition details

• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0553510975
• ISBN 13: 9780553510973
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Hawkes Kevin
• Number of pages: 48