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If I Ran The Zoo" Book By Dr. Seuss
Animals abound in Dr. Seusss Caldecott Honor“winning picture book If I Ran the Zoo. Gerald McGrew imagines the myriad of animals hed have in his very own zoo, and the adventures hell have to go on in order to gather them all. Featuring everything from a lion with ten feet to a Fizza-ma-Wizza-ma-Dill, this is a classic Seussian crowd-pleaser. In fact, one of Geralds creatures has even become a part of the the Nerd!
- GenresChildrens
Unknown Binding
About the author
Dr. Seuss
1,163 books18.7k followersAlso wrote as Theodore Seuss Geisel, see https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Theodor Seuss Geisel was born 2 March 1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts. He graduated Dartmouth College in 1925, and proceeded on to Oxford University with the intent of acquiring a doctorate in literature. At Oxford he met Helen Palmer, who he wed in 1927. He returned from Europe in 1927, and began working for a magazine called Judge, the leading humor magazine in America at the time, submitting both cartoons and humorous articles for them. Additionally, he was submitting cartoons to Life, Vanity Fair and Liberty. In some of his works, he'd made reference to an insecticide called Flit. These references gained notice, and led to a contract to draw comic ads for Flit. This association lasted 17 years, gained him national exposure, and coined the catchphrase "Quick, Henry, the Flit!"
In 1936 on the way to a vacation in Europe, listening to the rhythm of the ship's engines, he came up with And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, which was then promptly rejected by the first 43 publishers he showed it to. Eventually in 1937 a friend published the book for him, and it went on to at least moderate success.
During World War II, Geisel joined the army and was sent to Hollywood. Captain Geisel would write for Frank Capra's Signal Corps Unit (for which he won the Legion of Merit) and do documentaries (he won Oscar's for Hitler Lives and Design for Death). He also created a cartoon called Gerald McBoing-Boing which also won him an Oscar.
In May of 1954, Life published a report concerning illiteracy among school children. The report said, among other things, that children were having trouble to read because their books were boring. This inspired Geisel's publisher, and prompted him to send Geisel a list of 400 words he felt were important, asked him to cut the list to 250 words (the publishers idea of how many words at one time a first grader could absorb), and write a book. Nine months later, Geisel, using 220 of the words given to him published The Cat in the Hat , which went on to instant success.
In 1960 Bennett Cerf bet Geisel $50 that he couldn't write an entire book using only fifty words. The result was Green Eggs and Ham . Cerf never paid the $50 from the bet.
Helen Palmer Geisel died in 1967. Theodor Geisel married Audrey Stone Diamond in 1968. Theodor Seuss Geisel died 24 September 1991.
Also worked under the pen name: Theo Le Sieg
Theodor Seuss Geisel was born 2 March 1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts. He graduated Dartmouth College in 1925, and proceeded on to Oxford University with the intent of acquiring a doctorate in literature. At Oxford he met Helen Palmer, who he wed in 1927. He returned from Europe in 1927, and began working for a magazine called Judge, the leading humor magazine in America at the time, submitting both cartoons and humorous articles for them. Additionally, he was submitting cartoons to Life, Vanity Fair and Liberty. In some of his works, he'd made reference to an insecticide called Flit. These references gained notice, and led to a contract to draw comic ads for Flit. This association lasted 17 years, gained him national exposure, and coined the catchphrase "Quick, Henry, the Flit!"
In 1936 on the way to a vacation in Europe, listening to the rhythm of the ship's engines, he came up with And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, which was then promptly rejected by the first 43 publishers he showed it to. Eventually in 1937 a friend published the book for him, and it went on to at least moderate success.
During World War II, Geisel joined the army and was sent to Hollywood. Captain Geisel would write for Frank Capra's Signal Corps Unit (for which he won the Legion of Merit) and do documentaries (he won Oscar's for Hitler Lives and Design for Death). He also created a cartoon called Gerald McBoing-Boing which also won him an Oscar.
In May of 1954, Life published a report concerning illiteracy among school children. The report said, among other things, that children were having trouble to read because their books were boring. This inspired Geisel's publisher, and prompted him to send Geisel a list of 400 words he felt were important, asked him to cut the list to 250 words (the publishers idea of how many words at one time a first grader could absorb), and write a book. Nine months later, Geisel, using 220 of the words given to him published The Cat in the Hat , which went on to instant success.
In 1960 Bennett Cerf bet Geisel $50 that he couldn't write an entire book using only fifty words. The result was Green Eggs and Ham . Cerf never paid the $50 from the bet.
Helen Palmer Geisel died in 1967. Theodor Geisel married Audrey Stone Diamond in 1968. Theodor Seuss Geisel died 24 September 1991.
Also worked under the pen name: Theo Le Sieg
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 15, 2025
Fun, quick read in class.
April 29, 2025
I am reading and rereading Dr Seuss books written for a range of ages from youngsters to their most senior friends and familymembers.
Story. I remember reading this book with my mom and my brother, thrilled at the adventures of Gerald McGrew going out to capture wild animals if some of the strangest sorts.
I laughed out loud at the idea of going further than the North Pole. As before, I was entertained by the various types of word plays, such as cadences and coined words.
However not all was I remembered the story. The story is very much of its time--midcentury--when animal protection and animal rights were not a thing. a time before Earth Day celebrations and rememberances.
The word play is good. The premise outdated. Good for memory lane. Yet too put off by the lack of respect for animals to rare any higher than 2 stars.
Art. The animals and people start to take the shake I think of as indicative of Dr Suess' art. The color palette is what I remember from most of my childhood--black and white are still significant players on the palette while the primary red, yellow, and blue show up more along with just a bit of green. The books by 1950 feel like classic Suess' art to me.
Story. I remember reading this book with my mom and my brother, thrilled at the adventures of Gerald McGrew going out to capture wild animals if some of the strangest sorts.
I laughed out loud at the idea of going further than the North Pole. As before, I was entertained by the various types of word plays, such as cadences and coined words.
However not all was I remembered the story. The story is very much of its time--midcentury--when animal protection and animal rights were not a thing. a time before Earth Day celebrations and rememberances.
The word play is good. The premise outdated. Good for memory lane. Yet too put off by the lack of respect for animals to rare any higher than 2 stars.
Art. The animals and people start to take the shake I think of as indicative of Dr Suess' art. The color palette is what I remember from most of my childhood--black and white are still significant players on the palette while the primary red, yellow, and blue show up more along with just a bit of green. The books by 1950 feel like classic Suess' art to me.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews