The Boy On Fairfield Street: How Ted Geisel Grew Up To Become Dr. Seuss

"Today you are you, that is truer

   than true. There is no one alive

   who is youer than you."

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Krull, Kathleen. The Boy on Fairfield Street: How Ted Geisel Grew Up To Become Dr. Seuss.  New York: Random House. 2004.

ISBN 0375822984

PLOT SUMMARY:

Kathleen Krull takes the reader on the journey of how Ted Geisel became Dr. Seuss. From his childhood experiences on Fairfield Street to the endeavors trying to figure out who he was and what he was meant to be and do -- Dr. Seuss would eventually emerged. The son of a zoo keeper, Ted found comfort and enjoyment in watching the animals -- inspiration inevitably evolved.

CRITICALY ANALYSIS:

Kathleen Krull creates a charming and fascinating biography of Ted Geisel. She recounts childhood memories with  amazing detail and candor--the reader is drawn in and feels as if they are experiencing the exact moment. Krull examines if the boy "who loved reading, singing, animals, and drawing funny pictures changed from being a goof off to becoming a successful author named Dr. Seuss." As a boy, he "feasted on books and was wild about animals;" it is difficult to discern if he changed or (more likely) he changed the reading world. The author does an excellent job peaking the reader's interest and grabbing their attention through words and pictures. Krull uses paintings by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher to illustrate the various times and settings in Ted's life. Showing Ted blissfully drawing in art class and having the teacher look at his work in a disapproving manner -- Dr. Seuss emergence was already showing and would soon flourish.

The author seems to run out of pages and time; therefore, compacting -- no cramming and crushing Ted Geisel's later life and years into a few pages. This takes away from the overall joy of the book; however, the enjoyment and fascination Krull created in the previous pages carry the reader through with pleasure. The final pages list all the written works and illustrations by Dr. Seuss. This gives the reader an image of how far-reaching and encompassing Dr. Seuss' vocation was and why his life's works will continue to be enjoyed.

REVIEW EXCERPT:

Amazon.com: “Young doodlers and dreamers of the world, take heart--the famous Dr. Seuss, creator of Whos and Sneetches, was a doodler and dreamer, too. Kathleen Krull's engaging picture-book biography of Ted Geisel, the real Dr. Seuss, takes us from his early childhood on Fairfield Street in Springfield, Massachusetts, to the time when he's 22 years old in Greenwich Village and just starting to think he might make a go of it as a person who draws flying cows. Krull tells a lively story, carefully including details that help us understand how Seuss became Seuss, from playground injustice (Geisel was a German American and World War I loomed large) to his love for Krazy Kat comics.”

CONNECTIONS:

* Create a timeline of Dr. Seuss' accomplishments
* Draw a picture from one of your favorite Dr. Seuss books
* Read more nonfiction books by Kathleen Krull
* Choose a Dr. Seuss book and create a skit