1. Bibliography
Krull, Kathleen. 2004. The Boy on Fairfield Street: How Ted Geisel Grew Up to Become Dr. Suess. Ill. by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher. New York: Random House. ISBN 0375822984
2. Plot Summary
With the opening line, "Once upon a time, there lived a boy who feasted on books and was wild about animals," Kathleen Krull begins a journey with readers through the childhood of Ted Geisel, the boy who would one day grow up to be the legendary Dr. Suess, beloved children's writer and illustrator. The book includes details that most likely influenced him and fed his imagination and love of books, such as his father's career as the superintendent of the zoo or the fact that his mother read to him every night. The account details Ted's neighborhood, his friends, the trouble he got into at school and also lesser known facts such as the discrimination that Ted and his family endured during World War I because of their German ethnicity. This book follows Ted Geisel all the way through his school years, college education, and the beginning of his struggling career as a writer and cartoonist. Kathleen Krull concludes her story of "Dr. Suess's" humble beginnings with Ted moving to New York to pursue his budding career selling drawings to magazines and newspapers and, at twenty-two years old, looking forward to an exciting future.
Krull, Kathleen. 2004. The Boy on Fairfield Street: How Ted Geisel Grew Up to Become Dr. Suess. Ill. by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher. New York: Random House. ISBN 0375822984
2. Plot Summary
With the opening line, "Once upon a time, there lived a boy who feasted on books and was wild about animals," Kathleen Krull begins a journey with readers through the childhood of Ted Geisel, the boy who would one day grow up to be the legendary Dr. Suess, beloved children's writer and illustrator. The book includes details that most likely influenced him and fed his imagination and love of books, such as his father's career as the superintendent of the zoo or the fact that his mother read to him every night. The account details Ted's neighborhood, his friends, the trouble he got into at school and also lesser known facts such as the discrimination that Ted and his family endured during World War I because of their German ethnicity. This book follows Ted Geisel all the way through his school years, college education, and the beginning of his struggling career as a writer and cartoonist. Kathleen Krull concludes her story of "Dr. Suess's" humble beginnings with Ted moving to New York to pursue his budding career selling drawings to magazines and newspapers and, at twenty-two years old, looking forward to an exciting future.
2. Critical Analysis
Kathleen Krull writes an interesting and informative book in a clear way so that young readers may understand and enjoy learning about one of the most profound and beloved children's book author and illustrator of our time. Young readers will be captivated by reading Ted Geisel's story through the eyes of his childhood and will love the endearing flaws that Krull relates such as the fact that Ted struggled in school, had a problem with exaggerating the truth, and was voted "Least Likely to Succeed" by his classmates at Dartmouth. Krull includes an epilogue entitled "On Beyond Fairfield Street" that begins where the story leaves off and describes Ted Geisel's long career as Dr. Suess. There is also a list of "Great Works Written and Illustrated by Dr. Suess" written in a timeline format and a few suggested titles for further reading.
The beautiful paintings by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher complement the story and have the same type of simplistic appeal that the text has. Every double page spread has a page of text and an opposing page with a painting. In this way, the illustrations really depict and help to describe the action in the story. It also creates the perfect amount of text so as to not overwhelm young readers. In the white space surrounding the text, a cast of Dr. Suess's famous characters and doodles dance and tumble across the pages as if accompanying the reader.
4. Review Excerpts
Booklist-" Krull's pithy text is extended by full-page paintings that glow with the memory of yesteryear and capture the mix of humor and poignancy that comes with trying to fit in. Spot art from Geisel's own books enlivens the text pages. "
5. Connections
*This book could be used in a research project for students to learn more about their favorite authors
*Could be used to introduce a book by Dr. Suess
Anther book about the life of Ted Geisel aka Dr. Suess:
Kudlinski, Kathleen. Dr. Suess: Young Author and Artist. ISBN 0689873476
Other biographies by Kathleen Krull:
Lives of Extraordinary Women: Rulers, Rebels (and What the Neighbors Thought). ISBN 0152008071
Leonardo Da Vinci: Giants of Science #1. ISBN 067005920X
Houdini: World's Greatest Mystery Man and Escape King. ISBN 080279646X
The Road to OZ: Twists, Turns, Bumps and Triumphs in the Life of L. Frank Baum. ISBN 0375832165
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