It’s March, which means it’s time to celebrate Read Across America or Dr. Seuss Day. Dr. Seuss was a beloved author. Almost everyone has a favorite Dr. Seuss book. Find out more about Dr. Seuss and Read Across America with these Dr. Seuss Facts for Kids.
What is Read Across America?
Read Across America was developed in 1997 by the National Education Association. Its purpose is to motivate children to read and to celebrate reading. Statistics show that children who are motivated about reading and read often do better in school than those who don’t.
Read Across America takes place on the closest school day to Dr. Seuss’s birthday, March 2nd. On March 2nd, all across the country in schools and libraries, children of all ages are encouraged to read and participate in activities to celebrate reading and the life of the famous author Dr. Seuss.
“Be awesome! Be a book Nut!” -Dr. Seuss
Check out: Dr. Seuss Snacks and Craft
Dr. Seuss Facts for Kids
Dr. Seuss’s real name was Theodore Seuss Geisel. His pen name was Dr. Seuss. A pen name is a name some authors use instead of their real name. Theodore’s middle name Seuss was his mother’s maiden name. His friends and family call him Ted.
He was born on March 2, 1904, in Springfield, Massachusetts. Did you know that Dr. Seuss was really a doctor?
Dr. Seuss used Dr. as part of his name because his father always wanted him to be a doctor. Dr. Seuss was an author, poet, screenwriter, illustrator, film producer, television producer, songwriter, animator, and visual artist.
Dr. Seuss Education
Theodore Seuss Geisel started school at the age of 4 in 1908. He attended Forest Park School, then Sumner Ave School. He attended high school at Springfield Central High School and graduated in 1921.
At the age of 18, Theodore Seuss Geisel went to Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. While he was at Dartmouth, he was the editor-in-chief of their magazine Jack-o-Lantern.
He later lost his position as editor for drinking alcohol in his dorm. After graduating from Dartmouth, Dr. Seuss moved to England and attended Oxford University.
He left Oxford and moved back to the United States, but he never earned his doctorate degree. Dr. Seuss was given an honorary doctorate degree from Dartmouth College in 1955.
An honorary degree is a degree given by a university to a person without them completing the necessary requirements to receive the degree. Over the years, he has earned several honorary degrees from different universities, including Princeton.
Writing Career
Before writing children’s books, Dr. Seuss wrote advertisements for General Electric, Standard Oil, NBC, and other companies. Dr. Seuss’s first book, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, was published in 1937.
The book was turned down 27 times by publishing companies. During World War II, Dr. Seuss wrote war propaganda cartoons. He also made animated films for soldiers. Dr. Seuss is credited as the first person to use the word, Nerd. He used the word in his book If I Ran the Zoo in 1950.
Children made him Nervous!
Did you know that Dr. Seuss didn’t interact well with children? Can you believe it! His wife Audrey once said he was afraid of children. Dr. Seuss did not have any children of his own.
Dr. Seuss once said that the character of the Grinch is based on himself!
The book Green Eggs and Ham only contains 50 different words. He wrote the book based on a bet. A publisher bet him he couldn’t write a book using few words. Dr. Seuss won the bet!
Dr. Seuss has written and illustrated 44 children’s books.
His children’s books have been translated into over 15 languages.
He has won 2 Academy Awards, 2 Emmy Awards, A Peabody Award, and a Pulitzer Prize.
Dr. Seuss died on September 24, 1991.
Dr. Seuss Quotes
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…”
“The more that you read. The more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
“There’s no limit to how much you’ll know, depending how far beyond zebra you go.”
“It’s not about what it is; it’s about what it can become.”
“Only you can control your future.”
“Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try.”
“Think and wonder, wonder and think.”
“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than you.”
“You’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting,
So…get on your way!”
“I know, up on top, you are seeing great sights, but down here at the bottom, we too should have rights.”
“You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers.
Who soar to high heights.”
“Why fit in when you were born to stand put.”
“Don’t cry because it’s over; smile because it happened.”
“It has often been said
there’s so much to be read,
You never can cram
all those words in your head.
So the writer who breeds
more words than he needs
is making a chore
for the reader who reads.
That’s why my belief is
the briefer the brief is,
the greater the sigh
of the reader’s relief is.
And that’s why your books
have such power and strength.
You publish with shorth!
(Shorth is better than length.).”
Popular Dr. Seuss Books for Kids
Dr. Seuss has written dozens of children’s books. Many children who are learning to read enjoy his books. Here are some of his most popular titles: Which one is your favorite?
Cat in that Hat
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Green Eggs and Ham
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish
Oh, The Place You’ll Go
Fox in Socks
Horton Hears a Who!
The Lorax
Hop on Pop
Sneetches
Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street
The Butter Battle Book
Sleep Book
ABC Book
We hope you enjoyed these Dr. Seuss Facts for kids
