The Cat in the Hat

Reading level: Ages 4-8 Hardcover: 72 pages Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (March 12, 1957) Language: English

The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss is most likely the most famous children's book ever written by the eclectic author.  Featuring a tall cat with a bow tie and striped hat, this story is an awesome book for young readers. Dr. Seuss indirectly created The Cat in the Hat (and the rest of the beginner book series) in response to an article in Life magazine in 1954 by John Hersey, titled "Why Do Students Bog Down on First R?  A local Committee Sheds Light on a National Problem:  Reading."  Back then, the director of Houghton Mifflin's educational division invited Seuss to dinner in Boston and challenged him to write and illustrate a book that first-graders would not want to put down.  Apparently, nine months later Dr. Seuss finished The Cat in the Hat.  The book uses a vocabulary of 236 words and tells the story of a cat who brings life, excitement, and chaos to an otherwise boring day for two children, a brother and sister.  It is a story of mischief while mother is out, and a miraculous cleanup before mother returns. Poetic enthusiasts will be pleased to note that the story maintains a strict triple meter while telling an enjoyable tale. Finally, the Cat in the Hat was made into a movie in 2003 starring Mike Myers and it can be found here.