I don't know of any child who doesn't have at least one book by Dr. Seuss in their home library. It's a given, considering he has written so many great children's books: In my home, I always stumped for How the Grinch Stole Christmas! every holiday season, because I can relate to his crankiness; my daughter preferred to challenge my tongue by requesting Fox in Socks read aloud. (The joke's on her, because I got pretty good at it. Except for the part about the freezy trees — I'm convinced that section is impossible to read aloud.)
This year, Dr. Seuss Enterprises is making it easier for some families to add another picture book to their collection. It's giving away a personalized copy of The Cat in the Hat — another classic! — to anyone who shares Dr. Seuss's birthday, which is March 2 (up to 20,000 books).
To claim a book, register at SeussPledge.com. Sign-ups are not yet available, so all eligible Pisces will need to monitor the site to see when they can register. (They can also keep a close eye on the official Dr. Seuss Instagram.) Those born on March 2 who already own The Cat in the Hat or don't want another Dr. Seuss book can opt to have their copy donated to an underserved community.
This expands on a similar successful giveaway by Dr. Seuss Enterprises last year. It's part of a broader celebration of Dr. Seuss author Theodor Geisel's birthday and promotes literacy overall. “Fostering learning and development through the joy of reading is central to our mission at Dr. Seuss Enterprises," Susan Brandt, President and CEO of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, said in a press release. "The expansion of the Birthday Pledge allows us to bring Dr. Seuss books to many more readers because, ‘The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.’”
Additional events planned for March 2 include a "Tackle Reading" event done in conjunction with the NFL and Creative Minds Publications. Teachers, educators and caregivers can also find more celebratory ideas, including free downloadable activities, at Seussville.com. (Look for the parents/educators tabs in the top right corner, which might be easily overlooked amid the site's whimsical design.) However you celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday, kids are bound to enjoy themselves — just watch out for those freezy trees.
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; previously, she wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her toy-collecting husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found helping out her team at bar trivia or posting about movies on Twitter and Bluesky.
