PICTURE BOOK - Imagine That!: How Dr. Seuss Wrote The Cat in the Hat by Judy Sierra

Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes

2017, Random House, NY

HC $17.99
Bos Lib: JB Seuss

40 pgs.

Goodreads rating: 3.91

My rating: 5

Endpapers:  Hats of all sorts, including the famous one that the Cat in the Hat wore.  It would be fun to examine te hats that other characters from some of his other books wore.

1^st line/s:  "1954 was a great year to be a kid."  
"In his head, Ted juggled the words on the list.  Then he thought,
     Why not let the cat juggle instead?
     He can juggle the stuff on the list.  Yes he can!
     He can juggle a rake and a book and a fan.
     He can juggle a fish, and the fish won't like that.
     I will draw two nice kids to have fun with th cat,
     And two naughty Things, and a keen cleaner-upper.
     I think I'll get started tonight, after supper.":
          (And no, the whole book isn't in rhyme like this, only a couple of parts.  But it sure is fun!)

My comments:  I love picture book biographies, and even if they aren't the best written, or leave out information I think should be included, I still really like their existence.  Here's a biography that's really good - interesting, fun to read AND look at, and with lots of really interesting information.  After sharing this book with a group of kids, there are so many things that could be done!  Read the book.  Then read Cat in the Hat, and Green Eggs and Ham.  THEN each child could create their own book, easy peasy fold and sew , than includes silly words they've made up, either individually or as a group.  Best, though, was discovering the process that Ted Geisel went through to make his ultra-popular, long-lasting Cat in the Hat.  Bravo!

Goodreads:  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!