Imagine That!

How Dr. Seuss Wrote The Cat in the Hat

Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes
A lively new picture-book biography of the most beloved children’s book author of all time: Dr. Seuss!

Have you ever wondered how the great Dr. Seuss wrote his most famous book? Did you know that for The Cat in the Hat, he wasn’t allowed to make up the fun words he was known for—like OOBLECK and IT-KUTCH and HIPPO-NO-HUNGUS? He was only allowed to use words from a very strict list!
 
This bouncy account of the early career of Dr. Seuss (a.k.a. Ted Geisel) proves that sometimes limitations can be the best inspiration of all.
 
Kid-friendly prose (with Seussian rhyme for Ted’s dialogue) and whimsical illustrations by award winner Kevin Hawkes recall the work of Dr. Seuss himself. Writing tips from Dr. Seuss and exclusive letters from the author and illustrator, detailing how they created this book, are included!

  • NOMINEE | 2019
    Louisiana Young Reader's Choice Master List
Judy Sierra is the acclaimed author of more than forty picture books, including the award-winning Wild About Books; ZooZical; Mind Your Manners, B.B. Wolf; The Sleepy Little Alphabet; Suppose You Meet a Dinosaur; and Everyone Counts. Her writing for children is enriched by her work as a puppeteer, storyteller, and folklore scholar. Judy lives and writes in Portland, Oregon. You can visit her at JudySierraBooks.com. View titles by Judy Sierra
Kevin Hawkes is the author and illustrator of The Wicked Big Toddlah and The Wicked Big Toddlah Goes to New York, and is the illustrator of many well-loved books for young readers including Imagine That:! How Dr. Seuss Wrote the Cat in the Hat, Library Lion, My Little Sister Ate One Hare, My Little Sister Hugged an Ape, And to Think That We Thought That We'd Never Be Friends, The Road to OzVelma Gratch, and The Way Cool Butterfly. He lives in Gorham, Maine. View titles by Kevin Hawkes

About

A lively new picture-book biography of the most beloved children’s book author of all time: Dr. Seuss!

Have you ever wondered how the great Dr. Seuss wrote his most famous book? Did you know that for The Cat in the Hat, he wasn’t allowed to make up the fun words he was known for—like OOBLECK and IT-KUTCH and HIPPO-NO-HUNGUS? He was only allowed to use words from a very strict list!
 
This bouncy account of the early career of Dr. Seuss (a.k.a. Ted Geisel) proves that sometimes limitations can be the best inspiration of all.
 
Kid-friendly prose (with Seussian rhyme for Ted’s dialogue) and whimsical illustrations by award winner Kevin Hawkes recall the work of Dr. Seuss himself. Writing tips from Dr. Seuss and exclusive letters from the author and illustrator, detailing how they created this book, are included!

Awards

  • NOMINEE | 2019
    Louisiana Young Reader's Choice Master List

Author

Judy Sierra is the acclaimed author of more than forty picture books, including the award-winning Wild About Books; ZooZical; Mind Your Manners, B.B. Wolf; The Sleepy Little Alphabet; Suppose You Meet a Dinosaur; and Everyone Counts. Her writing for children is enriched by her work as a puppeteer, storyteller, and folklore scholar. Judy lives and writes in Portland, Oregon. You can visit her at JudySierraBooks.com. View titles by Judy Sierra
Kevin Hawkes is the author and illustrator of The Wicked Big Toddlah and The Wicked Big Toddlah Goes to New York, and is the illustrator of many well-loved books for young readers including Imagine That:! How Dr. Seuss Wrote the Cat in the Hat, Library Lion, My Little Sister Ate One Hare, My Little Sister Hugged an Ape, And to Think That We Thought That We'd Never Be Friends, The Road to OzVelma Gratch, and The Way Cool Butterfly. He lives in Gorham, Maine. View titles by Kevin Hawkes