Dr. Seuss, by Laura Hamilton Waxman, as reviewed by Fegan

What better follow-up to yesterday's yummy link than a new Seuss biography from Lerner Publishing?



The first thing that intrigued me was the cover photo: usually biographies of Dr. Seuss feature pictures of him in his later years, with the white bushy hair. This one gives a slightly younger Seuss surrounded by a few of his many characters. Since there are so many Seuss biographies out there (but never enough come March), it's nice to see one that immediately starts off a little different.

The illustrations throughout the book are the second thing that caught my eye. I loved all the period photos interspersed with Geisel's artwork. The text matches up nicely, giving little bits of history (i.e. the Great Depression, Prohibition, etc.) in context with the events of Geisel's life. Parts are a bit whitewashed, such as the problems Geisel had in college, but I suppose appropriately so for the age group - I would put this around 2nd or 3rd grade.

This book is part of the History Maker series from Lerner, which features dozens of other historical figures. Nicely bound and attractive as well as well-written, we recommend the whole series for libraries or personal interest. Review copy provided by the publisher.