The corporation that owns Dr. Seuss’s intellectual property said on Wednesday that new books written and drawn by an inclusive collection of up-and-coming authors and artists will feature previously unpublished sketches of Dr. Seuss’s amazing animals.
Dr. Seuss Enterprises announced the new book series on the birthday of the late author, and it would feature unique stories based on pictures from the author’s archives at the University of California, San Diego.
New Dr. Seuss-Inspired Books Will Feature Diverse Writers And
This news comes exactly one year after the company formed by Dr. Seuss’s family (whose real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel) announced it will stop publishing six Dr. Seuss titles because they include racist and inappropriate images, a decision that was met with both criticism and admiration.
The Asian character in “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street” is shown with a conical hat, chopsticks, and a bowl. Two barefooted African males in what might be grass skirts and plaits are depicted in “If I Ran the Zoo.” Novels like “McElligot’s Pool” and “On Beyond Zebra!” were also impacted. “, “Super Scrambled Eggs! “, and “The Cat’s Quiz.”
Dr. Seuss Enterprises stated the new authors and illustrators would come from a wide range of ethnicities in an effort to appeal to the widest potential audience of children and parents. In response to our request for comment, a company representative said that they were unavailable.
Susan Brandt, President and CEO of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, stated in a statement, “We look forward to putting the focus on a new generation of artists who we know will bring their own voices and style to the page while also pulling inspiration from the ingenuity and imagination of Dr. Seuss.”
Books Published By Random House Children’s Books Under the Seuss Studios imprint will be Aimed at Young Readers (4–8).
The San Diego firm promised that “the original Dr. Seuss sketch that serves as the inspiration for each of the new Seuss Studios books will be included in the book,” along with a message from the authors about where they found inspiration and how they went about creating the books.
A cat-like creature with huge ears and a flock of hummingbirds sporting bright plumage and beaks can be seen in the pictures.
According to the corporation, Geisel’s legacy will be carried on through the Beginner Books imprint he established at Random House in 1957. This imprint is intended to encourage young readers to pick up books and help new authors and illustrators get their work out there.
Since the final details of the contracts for the new books are still being worked out, Dr. Seuss Enterprises has not yet announced the authors and illustrators who will be involved. There will be at least two new books published annually, with the first one coming out sometime in 2019.
Though Theodor Geisel passed away in 1991, the popularity of Dr. Seuss’s works like “Green Eggs and Ham” and “The Cat in the Hat” has only increased over the years.
Last Words
A $35 million fortune in 2021 would have made him the fifth best paid deceased celebrity of the year, according to Forbes. In order: Roald Dahl, Prince, Michael Jackson, and Charles Schulz.
Springfield, Massachusetts native and lifelong resident Geisel earned $33 million in 2020, placing him at #2 on the list. His works have been published in over a hundred countries, translated into dozens of languages, and made available in Braille.
