Dr. Seuss

Children's Authors

by Mae Woods

The Children's Authors series gives young readers an intimate look at the lives of their favorite writers. Each engaging biography traces an author's childhood, education, and career. Readers will learn what inspired the authors to write and how they came up with story ideas. Clearly-written text and amusing anecdotes provide readers with easy access to the lives of these beloved authors.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction

24 pages, Library Binding

First published September 1, 2000

Reviews

[Simon Jongekryg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This biography starts with the early life (college) of Dr. Seuss and talks about how he got his name. From there the story talks about how Dr. Seuss made a name for himself in the children’s book industry. First looking at the first few books he created and how that built his popularity and moving in to how Dr. Seuss legacy still lives on in present day. I wish the story contained more facts about Seuss as a child to gain a better of his entire life and how he got to where he is now.

[Paul Graham Terpstra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book about a great man who through story has influenced the world and millions who read his creations.

[Travis Unterseher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brief Review:
This book is a short biography about the life of children's author Dr. Seuss. Since this book is also a children's book. So, this biography focuses on the main points in his life and delivers basic facts about him that children are most likely wondering. This biography is a good book for students in 5-6 grade that are starting to read more advanced books, or are starting to have to write papers on researched topics in the higher grades.

Content Area:
This book could very easily be used in a multitude of english settings. The most prominent area would be in a research module in the classroom. Students could use this book to learn facts and start towards the process of writing papers based on researched topics.

Comprehension Questions:

Q: What are the steps in which Dr. Seuss got his name and why?
A: He got in trouble and could not edit the school newspaper, so he started using his middle name to fool the dean. He then added the title Dr. title after he got his first job.

Q: Name one of the many ways Dr. Seuss has lived on after his death and give an example of a way that he has lived on in your life?
A: His books, cartoons, films, foundations, scholarships, the world of Dr. Seuss. In my life Dr. Seuss will live on because of his book the Grinch That Stole Christmas, it is a family tradition to watch the movie every Christmas.

Student Wonders:
Why did he write children's books?
How old was he when he was in the army?
Whats his favorite character?
How many books did he write?

[Kylie Hodgson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Out of all of the Dr. Seuss biographies that I have read this was my favorite one. In this book the author made it kid friendly and really made the information easy to understand unlike the other two that had small text. This book has large text and photos with captions that are fun and playful for the children to explore and have fun with. Also, in this book the author chose to highlight chapters just about his books. There is a chapter just about How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Cat in the Hat. I really enjoyed that because she highlights why Dr. Seuss chose to write them and ties them in with events in his own life.

[Sharlet Mullen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book on Dr. Seuss's life was an amazing book. Easy to follow and interesting facts. I did not realize his last book written was in 1990.

[Sharla · Rating 5 out of 5]

read with Angel

[Zenia Rivera]

For this story about Dr. Seuss it speaks more about his schooling and how he did not like his art class due to the fact that there was so many rules when it came to art and he wanted to draw what he wanted to. After high school he had studied to become a teacher, yet eventually that he did not want to do that, but instead he wanted to be a writer and an illustrator and so that is what he focused on working on. He was then hired to draw advertisements for over 17 years due to the fact that no one wanted to buy his work. Even when the war came around he had written political cartoons, but he loved writing books that were out of the ordinary. His first book was "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street" which had grown popular once his friend from college had published it before he was about to give up on the book completely. During the war he was sent to Hollywood to make documentaries about the war and what had been going on so him and his wife had to move to California. It talks about the background of how "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" came to be in which he wanted to base it on how people get carried away with all of the shopping and presents and wanted to remind them on what the true meaning of Christmas was. Even throughout his life time he had donated as well as help out others as well as cared about the environment.

Reading this book there were things that I had never even known about the author which I thought was pretty cool. I did not know that he had donated to libraries and zoos as well as help others go to college. I feel like this book give a lot of detail and specific information about his life and things that inspired him to write. I like how this book had a lot of vibrant pictures to represent the amazing imagination that this author had. I feel like when a book is just filled with black and white pictures it seems to be more depressing. The cover of this book really jumps out at the reader and I think it is to display what kind of character and personality that Seuss had. I feel like his books will never go unnoticed because his stories are one of kind and he is a one of a kind man.

[Allie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the easy setup of life to books.