THE BOY ON FAIRFIELD STREET: HOW TED GEISEL GREW UP TO BECOME DR. SEUSS

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Krull, Kathleen. 2004. THE BOY ON FAIRFIELD STREET: HOW TED GEISEL GREW UP TO BECOME DR. SEUSS. Ill. by Steve Johnson & Lou Fancher. New York: Random Mills. ISBN 0375822984

PLOT SUMMARY
Dr. Seuss grew up on Fairfield Street. His family were German immigrants, which left him misunderstood by many in his school and community. He grew up hearing stories at dinner about animals at the zoo and his mother dreamed of him going to college, so she told him verse poetry stories at bedtime. Ted Geisel is his real name; he grew up frustrating teachers with his constant doodling in class, and was told by an art teacher that he had no talent, since he was changing all the rules of typical art. Dr. Seuss adopted his pen name after college, and moved to Greenwich Village to begin his career.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Kathleen Krull writes an engaging Biography about Ted Geisel also known as Dr. Seuss. She engages the reader quickly as you learn about Dr. Seuss’s childhood and the obstacles he overcame to refine his talents and become a well known children’s author. He became inspired to find a career that utilized his talents for doodling and writing verse. At the age of twenty two he decided “he could share his own love of reading, animals, and justice” with children around the world and on Fairfield Street.

The paintings by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher cast a nostalgic light with old fashioned paintings. They enable you to believe that you are in 1915. The illustrations enable the reader to journey with Ted as he grows up to have life experiences that enable him to become the well known Dr. Seuss. Many of the experiences are shown through full page illustrations which emphasize the importance of the event to the reader. The look of disgust on his teachers face when he is doodling in class and the injustice which he experienced on the playground as a child. These experiences led him to create such unique stories and animals.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
Reviewed in BOOKLIST:”delightful picture-book biography about Giesel that chronicles how he became an innovative writer and illustrator beloved by readers young and old.”
Reviewed in HORN BOOK: “the real story here is of a boy who couldn't stop doodling.”

CONNECTIONS
*Invite children to share their favorite Dr. Seuss story.
*Other books by Dr. Seuss
Seuss Geisel, Theodor. THE CAT IN THE HAT. ISBN 039480001X
Seuss Geisel, Theodor. GREEN EGGS AND HAM. ISBN 0545002850