Here’s how Dr. Seuss got the ideas for some of his classic books.
Green Eggs and Ham was written on a bet with the founder of Random House, Bennett Cerf.
Geisel wagered that he could write a good book using only 50 words, and Cerf was sure it was impossible.
Geisel won the bet but never collected on it. It was the only one of his books, the author claimed, that made him laugh.
Yertle the Turtle was based on Adolf Hitler.
Marvin K. Mooney, Will You Please Go Now? features a skulking character who is constantly asked to go away.
The character was based on ex-president Richard Nixon.
The Cat in the Hat was an answer to a 1957 report about children who were struggling to read in school.
The study showed that children responded to illustrations and retained more from “fun” books than from traditional but boring readers like Dick and Jane.
Geisel was hired by a publisher to come up with a book that would fit this bill.
He was given a list of 400 words and asked to choose 220, the number of words kids were thought to be able to absorb at one time.
Unfortunately, the word restrictions made the book difficult for Geisel to write.
He found two words on the list that rhymed, cat and hat, then spent nine months writing the story.
Related Posts
-
How are Brown Eggs Healthier Than White Eggs and Which Chicken Lays Blue, Green and Spotted Eggs?
Brown eggs being healthier than white eggs is a stupid myth that started because people assumed that brown foods like breads, sugar, flours are healthier than white ones. In fact, the fictional James…
-
What is the Difference between Brown Eggs and White Eggs and Are Fertilized Eggs More Nutritious?
Unfortunately, we agree with every other printed dissertation on eggs to assure you that no differences in flavor or nutrition have been found between brown eggs and white eggs. Just as brown-skinned people…
-
How Did Dr. Seuss Get the Idea of Putting an Elephant in a Tree for His Book Horton Hatches the Egg?
Dr. Seuss came up with the idea of putting an elephant in a tree for his book, Horton Hatches the Egg, more haphazardly than you might think. Theodore Geisel, a.k.a. Dr. Seuss, was…
-
Where does the term “Paris Green” come from and What does Paris Green mean?
The term Paris green, which dates at least to the 1870's, seems to be of American origin, but has spread to Europe by this time. Today, it refers to the compound copper aceto-arsenite,…
-
How did Green Soap get its name and Where does the term “Green Soap” come from?
Anyone who has ever had occasion to use green soap, in the treatment of impetigo or other skin affection, knows that its color is brown, not green. Nevertheless the name is a reminder…
-
How are Thousand-Year-Old Eggs made and Where do Thousand Year Old Eggs come from?
Thousand-year-old eggs, called pidans in Chinese, are a tongue in cheek eggsaggeration. Less lyrical Chinese may call them hundred-year-old eggs. Truth be told, however, they're only about a hundred days old, which may…
