Happy Birthday, United States! To celebrate, you get . . . a new Dr. Seuss book!
The United States turns 250 in July. Can you list all 50 states in the union? If not, the Cat in the Hat can help. He’s the star of a newly discovered Dr. Seuss manuscript called Sing the 50 United States! The book publishes on June 2.
Dr. Seuss’ real name was Theodor Geisel. He gave readers such treasures as How the Grinch Stole Christmas! and Green Eggs and Ham. Mr. Geisel died in 1991. But that wasn’t the end of his new books. Publishers released What Pet Should I Get? in 2015. And now another has arrived.
In the new book, the Cat in the Hat gives this advice: “To sing the 50 United States, you have to use your brain.” Then he starts his “song”—not at the first alphabetical state, Alabama. Instead, he’s arranging the states by rhythm:
“Massachusetts. Minnesota. Missouri and Montana. M-i-s-s-Mississippi. Maryland! Michigan and Maine!”
Dr. Seuss wrote the words and drew some pictures to go along. That’s the case with several Dr. Seuss books. Sometimes he collaborated with other illustrators.
“Uncovering a new work from Ted is like finding a time capsule of his imagination,” says Susan Brandt. She is president and CEO of Dr. Seuss Enterprises.
People found the manuscript earlier this year at the Geisel Library at the University of California, San Diego. Mr. Geisel left behind a cover sketch. He also made notes about how the pictures throughout the book should look. New illustrations were done by artist Tom Brannon. Of course, Mr. Brannon copied Dr. Seuss’ style. Can you spot any differences?
When publishers decide to print a book, they have to do some guessing. The big question: How many people might buy this book? They don’t want to print copies that won’t sell. But publishers know Dr. Seuss books get buyers. They’re starting with one million copies of Sing the 50 United States! That’s a lot!
Why? God used two Theos—Theodor Geisel and Theodore Roosevelt—to form American culture. One led the country. One helped shape the minds of kids with his books.
