Monday, March 1, 2010

Dr. Seuss

Here are three books which pay tribute to Ted Geisel, the beloved author/illustrator more commonly known as Dr. Seuss:

The Boy on Fairfield Street: How Ted Geisel Grew Up to Become Dr. Seuss by Kathleen Krull with paintings by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancer.
The Boy on Fairfield Street is my favorite Seuss biography. I like that the author does not try to imitate Seuss's writing, but rather tells an original story about a young boy growing up in Springfield, Mass. (And that young boy just happens to grow up to be Dr. Seuss.)

The Seuss, the Whole Seuss, and Nothing But the Seuss: A Visual Biography of Theodor Seuss Geisel by Charles D. Cohen
Cohen's writing is a bit too academic for my taste, but the pictures are fascinating. This book includes reproductions of Seuss's earliest works--pieces published in his high school and college newspapers, ads for Esso oil and bug repellent, and politically incorrect newspaper cartoons.

El Lórax by Dr. Seuss, translated by Aída E. Marcuse
Aída E. Marcuse's translation of The Lorax was truly a work of art and love. The book took her months to translate because she wanted to stay true to Seuss's poetry and environmentalism.