1. 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, NY: Random House. ISBN 0375822984
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Kathleen Krull has written a picture book biography about the life of Ted Giesel, a boy who loved animals and reading books. Ted enjoyed doodling and seemed to have an unusual way of looking at the world. As he grew up in Springfield, Massachusetts he faced injustices because his family was German and owned a brewery. Yet he still had a life filled with adventure and possibilities. He graduated from Dartmouth and eventually sold his first cartoon for twenty-five dollars to The Saturday Evening Post. Ted Giesel was a boy who loved life and excelled at fooling around, who eventually found his focus, and became known to the world as Dr. Suess.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Kathleen Krull has written a picture book biography that details the life of Ted Geisel. She organized the crucial key points of Geisel’s early life and puts them together to tell the story of how he became one of the world’s most beloved children’s authors. She details the reality of people within his life that doubted his ability to accomplish himself through his art. She then goes on to highlight key points that sculpted his life and imagination such as his father becoming the superintendent of the zoo, his mothers love for the library and reading books, his appetite for doodling and watching movies, and his enduring persistence at finding his passion. The picture book biography ends with extra bibliographic information about Dr. Suess life after the twenty-five dollar cartoon was published. It explains the inspiration for other books, reactions from the public, and how he used his money to fund the sources that helped him become Dr. Suess. Krull added an index to his great works with the title and year it was published. Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher illustrated the nostalgic paintings found in this book. They depict a life of childhood joys, adventures, as well as mishaps that shaped the life of Ted Giesel. Each page is supplemented with snap shot illustrations from Dr. Suess’ work. Krull provides and index of the spot art illustrations used in the book by indicating the page number where the illustration can be found as well as which Dr. Suess book the illustration was taken from. Together Krull, Johnson, and Fancher, have put together a biography that highlights the life of a boy destined to become one of the most beloved children’s book author’s of our time, Dr. Suess.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Horn Book: Fans are sure to enjoy meeting the irrepressible man behind the ever-popular books.
Kirkus Review: … it’s the lively writing puts the hat on the cat.
School Library Journal: This picture-book biography is a winner.
5. CONNECTIONS
*Have students create a bookmark drawing their favorite illustration from a Dr. Suess book.
*Compare and contrast several works by Dr. Suess.
* Enjoy an afternoon of Readers Theater using the classes’ favorite book by Dr. Suess.
Books by Dr. Suess:
Suess, Dr. Horton Hears A Who. ISBN 0394800788
Suess, Dr. Oh The Places You’ll Go. ISBN 0679847367
Suess, Dr. Horton Hatches the Egg. ISBN 039480077X
Other biographies by Kathleen Krull:
Krull, Kathleen. Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez. ISBN 0152014373
Krull, Kathleen. Houdini: World’s Greatest Mystery Man And Escape King. ISBN 0802789536
Krull, Kathleen. Hillary Rodham Clinton: Dreams Taking Flight. ISBN 1416971297
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, NY: Random House. ISBN 0375822984
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Kathleen Krull has written a picture book biography about the life of Ted Giesel, a boy who loved animals and reading books. Ted enjoyed doodling and seemed to have an unusual way of looking at the world. As he grew up in Springfield, Massachusetts he faced injustices because his family was German and owned a brewery. Yet he still had a life filled with adventure and possibilities. He graduated from Dartmouth and eventually sold his first cartoon for twenty-five dollars to The Saturday Evening Post. Ted Giesel was a boy who loved life and excelled at fooling around, who eventually found his focus, and became known to the world as Dr. Suess.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Kathleen Krull has written a picture book biography that details the life of Ted Geisel. She organized the crucial key points of Geisel’s early life and puts them together to tell the story of how he became one of the world’s most beloved children’s authors. She details the reality of people within his life that doubted his ability to accomplish himself through his art. She then goes on to highlight key points that sculpted his life and imagination such as his father becoming the superintendent of the zoo, his mothers love for the library and reading books, his appetite for doodling and watching movies, and his enduring persistence at finding his passion. The picture book biography ends with extra bibliographic information about Dr. Suess life after the twenty-five dollar cartoon was published. It explains the inspiration for other books, reactions from the public, and how he used his money to fund the sources that helped him become Dr. Suess. Krull added an index to his great works with the title and year it was published. Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher illustrated the nostalgic paintings found in this book. They depict a life of childhood joys, adventures, as well as mishaps that shaped the life of Ted Giesel. Each page is supplemented with snap shot illustrations from Dr. Suess’ work. Krull provides and index of the spot art illustrations used in the book by indicating the page number where the illustration can be found as well as which Dr. Suess book the illustration was taken from. Together Krull, Johnson, and Fancher, have put together a biography that highlights the life of a boy destined to become one of the most beloved children’s book author’s of our time, Dr. Suess.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Horn Book: Fans are sure to enjoy meeting the irrepressible man behind the ever-popular books.
Kirkus Review: … it’s the lively writing puts the hat on the cat.
School Library Journal: This picture-book biography is a winner.
5. CONNECTIONS
*Have students create a bookmark drawing their favorite illustration from a Dr. Suess book.
*Compare and contrast several works by Dr. Suess.
* Enjoy an afternoon of Readers Theater using the classes’ favorite book by Dr. Suess.
Books by Dr. Suess:
Suess, Dr. Horton Hears A Who. ISBN 0394800788
Suess, Dr. Oh The Places You’ll Go. ISBN 0679847367
Suess, Dr. Horton Hatches the Egg. ISBN 039480077X
Other biographies by Kathleen Krull:
Krull, Kathleen. Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez. ISBN 0152014373
Krull, Kathleen. Houdini: World’s Greatest Mystery Man And Escape King. ISBN 0802789536
Krull, Kathleen. Hillary Rodham Clinton: Dreams Taking Flight. ISBN 1416971297
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