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Theodor Geisel is born.
Dr. Seuss was born Theodor "Ted" Geisel in Springfield, Massachusetts. His parents were German immigrants and his family owned a successful brewery. This photo shows Springfield around the time that Theodore was born. -
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Ted's childhood is happy and well-rounded.
Ted and his sister Marnie have lots of friends and are involved in many activities. Ted learns to make great rhymes as a child by listening to his mother, who makes up rhymes at bedtime. Ted becomes a student a Dartmouth College in 1921. -
Ted graduates from Dartmouth College.
Ted graduates from Dartmouth College in 1925. While he is a student at Dartmouth, Ted contributes work to Jack-O-Lantern, the college's humor magazine. He signs all his work "Seuss." This is the first time that Ted uses this name. After graduation, not knowing exactly what to do next, he decides to apply at Oxford University in England and is accepted. Ted heads to England to continue his educaiton. -
Ted leaves Oxford to travel.
Ted spends one year at Oxford. While he is there, he meets an American woman named Helen Palmer who likes his drawings. He decides to leave Oxford and travel around Europe before returning to the United States to find a job. -
Ted marries Helen Palmer.
Ted and his wife Helen move to California after they are married. -
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Ted works in cartooning, advertising, and the war effort.
Ted comes back to the United States and works for Standard Oil doing advertising campaigns. He also draws funny cartoons for the Saturday Evening Post and supports his country during WWII by drawing political posters and cartoons. -
Ted becomes Dr. Seuss when his first book is published.
Ted's first book, "And to Think that I Saw It On Mulberry Street," is published with his pen name Dr. Seuss. Ted receives 27 rejections from publishers before an old friend from Dartmouth helps him get his book published by Vanguard Press. -
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Ted works as Dr. Seuss, writing and illustrating children's books.
Ted spends the next 40 years of his life working as a children's book author and illustrator. He creates many successful books including Green Eggs and Ham, The Sneetches, The Lorax, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. -
The Cat in the Hat is published.
In 1957, Dr. Seuss is asked to write and illustrate a book with only 250 words; these words are chosen as important words for first graders to know. He writes The Cat in the Hat, which teachers and parents love and is probably his most famous and successful book. -
Helen Geisel dies. Ted remarries.
Helen Geisel dies in 1967. Ted later marries family friend Audrey Stone Dimond, shown in the picture with Ted. -
Ted donates the Lion Wading Pool to the San Diego Zoo.
Ted donates the Lion Wading Pool. He later stated in interviews that he viewed this donation to be his greatest work, not a book. -
Ted dies in San Diego, CA.
Ted dies of throat cancer at the age of 87. He wrote over 60 books and won numerous awards in his lifetime. He never had any children. He was famous for saying about kids, "You have 'em; I'll entertain 'em." -
First Read Across America Day
The National Education Assocation names March 2, Dr. Seuss's birthday, Read Across America day in honor of the famous author and illustrator.
