From School Library Journal
Nel proves that it is fun to take Seuss's work seriously. In 1957, the baby boom peaked at 3.9 million births, coinciding with a boom in children's literature. That same year,
The Cat in the Hat was first published, creating an innovative type of children's literature that brought humor and originality to young readers. From the number of digits in the Cat's fingers (varies from three, four, or five) to the changes in colors of the bow tie of the Cat (white to red), Nel chronicles the development of the stories of
The Cat in the Hat and
The Cat in the Hat Comes Back. The well-documented text includes original manuscripts, early sketches, and illustrations with detailed analysis and descriptions. This text is an excellent addition to any school or public library and is essential reading for all who work with youth, literacy, and literature.—
Rebecca Sheridan, Easttown Library & Information Center, Berwyn, PA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
Why annotate a book that is under 4,000 words, even if it is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary? For one thing,
The Cat in the Hat revolutionized the way kids learn to read. This lavishly illustrated and loving look at Dr. Seuss' small classic, as well as its sequel,
The Cat in the Hat Comes Back, wins kudos for its introduction. Nel does a terrific job of supplying the backstory behind both the book and the man and explaining why and how
Cat became a worldwide favorite. As for the annotations, they range from interesting to odd to, well, stretches. For instance, a riff about how Geisel identified with the Cat's "subversive sense of humor, and drew himself as both Cat and the Grinch" is captivating. The information that the parents in the original and the sequel have separate bedrooms might make one say, "Really?" But sometimes the annotations are merely a rephrasing of the text. More often the visuals are the real stars here, with beautiful reproductions of the original art juxtaposed against Geisel's earlier work. Seuss lovers will love the whole package. Endnotes, extensive references appended.
Ilene CooperCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
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