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TagsBY BOB HOLT
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
Dr. Seuss was known for often incorporating politics into his books.
His line "A person's a person, no matter how small" from Horton Hears a Who became a slogan for anti-abortion campaigns.
Wednesday, the works of Theodore Seuss Geisel, who died at age 87 in 1991, were celebrated across the United States.
The Los Angeles Times reported Washington, D.C. celebrated Read Across America Day when First Lady Michelle Obama read Green Eggs and Ham at the Library of Congress at 11 a.m. She was joined by actress Jessica Alba, Green Bay Packers wide receiver Donald Driver, NEA President Dennis Van Roekel, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and others.
Seuss inspired countless children through his mysterious tales, some of which became major films.
The Washington Post reminds us that Seuss often provided colorful moral lessons in his 48 books. He offered up a plate of green eggs and ham so many times, that his character finally relented and learned to love it. Instead of praising the spirit of Christmas, he sent in a Grinch to steal it, only to let his readers learn by the end of the book that the holiday has the power to melt even the coldest of hearts.
Publishers are also joining in Seuss' party. CBS News reports Random House Publishing Group is featuring a package of Read Across America Day materials available at Seussville.com. IPhone users can enjoy discounted Dr. Seuss e-book apps in addition to a free Dr. Seuss Happy Birthday to You camera app.
Time.com reports in the 1966 movie version of Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the performer of "You're A Mean One Mr. Grinch", Thurl Ravenscroft, received no credit on screen. As a result, Dr. Seuss wrote letters to every major newspaper in the country, informing them of Ravenscroft's role in the film.
And Dr. Seuss wrote all of Green Eggs and Ham using only 50 words.
Those 50 are: a, am, and, anywhere, are, be, boat, box, car, could, dark, do, eat, eggs, fox, goat, good, green, ham, here, house, I, if, in, let, like, may, me, mouse, not, on, or, rain, Sam, say, see, so, thank, that, the, them, there, they, train, tree, try, will, with, would, you.
Time.com points out the last book Dr. Seuss wrote before he passed away in 1991, Oh, the Places You'll Go, sells 300,000 copies every year, due to its popularity as a graduation gift.
