Happy Birthday, Theodor Seuss Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss. The cartoonist and author of 44 children’s books was born March 2, 1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts and lived to the ripe age of 87. In 1937, he published his first children’s book,
And to Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street
, after facing rejection 27 times. His most popular works include
The Cat in the Hat
,
Green Eggs and Ham
and
How The Grinch Stole Christmas
, which was one of 11 Seuss works later adapted for television. In honor of Geisel’s many achievements, his birthday has been adopted as National Read Across America Day—a day to encourage parents and schoolteachers to read with children and to promote literacy.