Celebrations: Theodore Geisel

It's hard to believe it's been 19 years since the death of Dr. Seuss (March 2, 1904 – September 24, 1991).

There's nothing I can say that pays tribute to this man as much as his own work. The first book I ever red by myself, like many of you, was Hop On Pop. The next several were also most his, including One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, The Cat in The Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, and on and on and on. How many of you, like me, remember sitting down as a beginning reader and puzzling through the progressively harder pages of Fox In Socks, a book that continues to push early readers to increase their skills?

He was also influential in media besides books. One of my first records was a read-along LP with Bartholomew and the Oobleck on one side and Myrtle the Turtle on the other. And those of us who are part of the first generation to be raised on TV remember the excitement of each new televised special.

I dare you to name a more influential children's writer than Dr. Seuss.