The Annotated Cat
by Philip Nel, Introduction and Annotations
Published by Random House
Click on book
cover to order
at Amazon.com
Reviewed by Jamie Driggers
Subtitled: Under the Hats of Seuss and His Cats
With only 236 words, Dr. Seuss blasted onto the children's literature scene with his revolutionary reader The Cat in the Hat. In the days of the Dick and Jane primers, reading was not the most enjoyable pastime for children, but Dr. Seuss changed all that and is now an icon.
In The Annotated Cat: Under the Hats of Seuss and His Cats readers get not only the complete texts and art of The Cat in the Hat, and The Cat in the Hat Comes Back, but also two original essays and a magazine story by Seuss, draft material and sketches, photographs and page-by-page annotations of the two classics, as well as an introduction to the man, Seuss and his work.
The Annotated Cat is an intriguing look into the mind of a children's book legend. Especially for those of us who strive to write for children, the insight put forth on Seuss' creations is mind-blowing in its detail. His quest for perfection (and near attainment of it) shows in the sketches and writes and re-writes of his books.
Philip Nel does an excellent job of analyzing the plethora of information available and commenting on the various aspects of Seuss creations.
Armchair Interviews says: A must-read for the Seuss lover or hopeful children's writer.