“Nonsense wakes up the brain cells.”

Which author . . .

said, “Nonsense wakes up the brain cells.” 

Sold 222 million books.

 Received 27 rejections for his first children’s book, And to Think it Happened on Mulberry Street.

composed 200 versions of every verse paragraph that found its way into the final version of one of his stories.

Answer:  Dr. Seuss (Theodor Geisel)

A friend of mind and fellow Seuss-o-phile, Chuck Carroll, has something in common with the famous children’s author.  He graduated from Dartmouth.    Carroll sent me some Dartmouth material regarding the famous children’s author. 

Geisel received a doctorate of humane letters in 1955 and served as a writer for Dartmouth’s humor magazine, the Jack-O-Lantern, where he could be found, face down on his typewriter, fast asleep in the magazine’s office. 

To discover more about this anecdote and others,  you might enjoy reading the new biography, Theodor Seuss Geisel (Lives and Legacies)  by Donald E. Pease.   

And one of my favorite quotes from Seuss in Carroll’s Dartmouth’s alumni magazine?

“I’d rather write for kids.  They’re more appreciative; adults are obsolete children, and the hell with them.”

Writing Prompts: 

1.  Nonsense is fun, but not easy!  Try your hand at writing in the Dr. Seuss style.   Or write nonsense in your own style and voice.

2.  Read about this author’s life and read or re-read his books to remember why he is so talented. 

3.  Do you have a favorite Seuss book?  Which one?  Why?