Why Dr. Seuss's books still appeal to readers today
Seuss's birthday on March 2 is celebrated as Read Across America Day, in which book-based activities take place at schools and celebrities encourage children to pick up a title. How have Seuss's works appealed to generations?
Seuss's birthday on March 2 is celebrated as Read Across America Day, in which book-based activities take place at schools and celebrities encourage children to pick up a title. How have Seuss's works appealed to generations?
March 2 would have been the 112th聽birthday of famous children鈥檚 book author Theodor Geisel, better known as聽Dr. Seuss, and the day is also celebrated as Read Across America Day.聽
As part of Read Across America Day, volunteers read works 鈥� often by Seuss 鈥� to schoolchildren and community figures and celebrities encourage children to pick up a book. The first Read Across America day was held in 1998 and was created by the National Education Association.
With his works such as 鈥淭he Cat in the Hat,鈥� 鈥淭he Lorax,鈥� and 鈥淕reen Eggs and Ham,鈥� among many others, Seuss became an icon in children鈥檚 literature. Many of his books have been adapted as films or TV shows, most notably the book 鈥淗ow the Grinch Stole Christmas!鈥�
Denver Post writer William Porter wrote that Seuss鈥檚 birthday 鈥渉as particular resonance for nearly every living American who ever learned to read.鈥澛�
Part of the reason Seuss鈥檚 books remain so beloved, Mr. Porter writes, is the author鈥檚 unusual and memorable writing.聽
鈥淎ll were models of craft, fusing a unique voice and artistic style,鈥� Porter wrote of Seuss鈥檚 books. 鈥溾�� His books have introduced millions of children to the joys of reading and the magic of wordplay.鈥�
Robin Blakely of the Examiner writes that authors of all genres today are still looking to Seuss鈥檚 work when they write their own titles. Blakely notes the themes of environmentalism in Seuss鈥檚 鈥淟orax鈥� and how the author's way of presenting them can be modeled by others.聽
鈥淭hat light touch combined with Dr. Seuss鈥檚 timeless way of seeing the world is exactly what continues to pique the interest of creative thinkers worldwide,鈥� Blakely writes of Seuss鈥檚 way of tackling the issue.聽
As for why Seuss鈥檚 books have kept generations of readers coming back, Ann Neely, children鈥檚 literature expert at Vanderbilt University, said that Seuss鈥檚 style of writing draws readers in.聽
鈥淗is books, often filled with strange names and 鈥榩olitical鈥� messages, demonstrate his heart in a way that allows the reader to read, repeat and even sing his words,鈥� Neely said in an interview with Vanderbilt News. 鈥淭his readability is a key part of the enduring power of Dr. Seuss literature. Children can read Dr. Seuss books many, many times without tiring of the rhythms, the plots or the art.鈥�