Theodor Seuss Geisel’s first book written for kids under his alias Dr. Seuss was And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street.
The novel follows Marco, a little kid, as he walks home from school and makes up an elaborate fantasy story about the people and automobiles he sees along Mulberry Street to tell his father.
The original 1937 edition of the book was published by Vanguard Press. When he gets home, though, he decides to tell his father about what he truly saw: a plain horse and cart.
Brief Synopsis of the Book
Suddenly, a boring old horse and waggon driving along Mulberry Street becomes the most epic tale ever!
On his way home from school one day, Young Marco lets his mind wander and his creativity flow into a fantastical story.
Young Marco creates a colourful ensemble of characters out of little more than a horse and cart, making Mulberry Street the talk of the town.
This tale, although it is now over 75 years old, never seems to date. McElligot’s Pool also displays Marco’s unique brand of optimism.
For More Than 50 Years, Author Has Been Inspiring Young Readers
For more than half a century, Dr. Seuss has been inspiring young readers and fostering a love of reading among young children with his special blend of off-the-wall stories.
Off-the-wall illustrations, and riotous rhymes. Dr. Seuss, author of the delightfully anarchic “Cat in the Hat”
And widely considered one of the best children’s authors of all time, has sold nearly half a billion copies of his books around the world.
The Book Got 20 Rejections Prior
Twenty publishing houses passed on Geisel’s work before he bumped into an old college classmate who had recently become the juvenile editor at Vanguard Press.
The book received acclaim from critics after its release by Vanguard, but sales were less than stellar.
Later criticism of the novel has zeroed in on Geisel’s early life and the likelihood that the title street is based on a real place in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Where Geisel grew up. Later works by Geisel featured fictionalised versions of Springfield, and Marco made a return appearance in Dr. Seuss’s 1947 book, McElligot’s Pool.
The Seuss Estate decided to pull the book from shelves in March 2021 because of concerns over potentially harmful content.
Conclusion
The Dr. Seuss universe is experiencing a severe storm. The estate of the late children’s author Dr. Seuss has stated that it will no longer publish six of his books due to their “hurtful and inaccurate portrayal of people.”
Some individuals opposed to the revelation, calling it the “cancellation” of Dr. Seuss, and the dispute quickly escalated.
(The real name of Theodor Seuss Geisel, who wrote under the pen name “Dr. Seuss,” is Theodor Geisel.)
Some readers of The Green Eggs and Ham were relieved that the author had finally addressed their concerns regarding the author’s use of racist images.
