Dr. Seuss!

I love Dr. Seuss.  He was such a brilliant man who brought the fun to reading for so many children.  My favorite books are Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, Wacky Wednesday, Oh The Places You will Go, The Foot Book, Red Fish, Blue Fish, and so many more.  To honor him on his birthday, here are some fun facts about Dr. Seuss:

1. Dr. Seuss was never a doctor.  He only used it as a pseudonym at a university and added the Dr. as a joke to his dad who wanted him to be a doctor.
2. He almost burned his first book after being rejected by 27 publishers.  And to think that it might have not happened -- "And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street" was the beginning of Dr. Seuss.
3. His grandparents lived on Mulberry Street.
4. Dr. Seuss never had children and claimed to be nervous around them but he developed a close relationship with his nephew.  His nephew was said to be the inspiration of Green Eggs and Ham.
5. One of his most popular books was Green Eggs and Ham.  It was the result of a bet that he could not write a book using only 50 words.
6.  He is credited with jumpstarting reading among American Children.  He is also credited with killing off "Dick and Jane."  (I know I am dating myself but I loved Dick and Jane.  That is how I learned to read.)
7. One in four children in America have a Dr. Seuss book.
8. Dr. Seuss' penchant for rhyming was inherited from his mother, who used chants to memorize pie recipes in their bakery. 
9. More than 200 million copies of Dr. Seuss' children's books have been published. His 44 books have been translated into more than 15 languages.
10. If he were still alive today, he would be 107 years old. 

For more information about Dr. Seuss and to see the official page full of fun activities, visit:  http://www.seussville.com/