Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

I DO like Green Eggs and Ham!

Matter of fact, I love it, along with The Cat In The Hat, Horton Hears a Who, Fox in Socks, and, my
favorite, Snitches. (A fun and clever read on the silliness of stereotypes.)

These books are all written by the legendary Theodore Geisel, also known as Dr. Seuss, whose
birthday is this month. (March 2, 1904.)

I'll be in schools this month doing many author visits. Most days you will find me wearing a red-and-white striped sweater. You guessed it, I wear this in tribute to the Cat In The Hat. I used to wear the tall hat instead, but my 12-year-old daughter now forbids me to leave the house like that.

There is so much to admire about Dr. Seuss and his books. As a reader, I love the brilliant rhymes, the humorous full-circle story lines and illustrations and how he weaves social issues and messages into seemingly wacky tales.

As an author I am inspired by how Dr. Seuss pursued his passion and didn't take no for an answer.
His first book, And To Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street was rejected 28 times -- that's right 28! --
until it was discovered by Random House, which just so happens to be the publisher of my second book, Rocky Road.  And not only did he write and illustrate children's books but he wrote political cartoons and made film documentaries too. He was not afraid to speak his mind and point out the wrongs of bigotry, anti-semitism, and sexism.

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss, and thanks for getting us all excited about books.

I will read books
with kids at school
I will read books
riding on a mule.
I will read them
in the park
 I will read them
in the dark!
(Using a flashlight, of course).

How about you readers, show me your Dr Seuss fan poem!