Current:Home > NewsBabies born March 2 can get a free book for Dr. Seuss Day: Here's how to claim one-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
Babies born March 2 can get a free book for Dr. Seuss Day: Here's how to claim one
View Date:2024-12-23 16:55:51
Babies born on Saturday can get a free book thanks to Dr. Seuss' birthday.
Dr. Seuss Enterprises announced in February that it is honoring the author's legacy by giving away a free, personalized copy of "The Cat in the Hat" to every baby born in the U.S. on this year's Dr. Seuss Day.
The holiday is celebrated annually on March 2 to honor the late Theodor "Ted" Seuss Geisel, who was born on the day in 1904. Saturday will mark what would have been Geisel's 120th birthday.
The beloved children's book author wrote classics still present in classrooms and homes across America, including the classic "Cat in the Hat" (1957), "Green Eggs and Ham" (1960) and "Oh the Places You'll Go!" (1990).
Dr. Seuss Day coincides with Read Across America Day, established by the National Education Association (NEA) in 1998. Both celebrations are an effort to make reading more exciting for families and for kids.
Check out: USA TODAY's weekly Best-selling Booklist
Here's what to know about the free book giveaway.
How to claim your free book
Parents with children born on March 2, 2024, can visit SeussPledge.com to register and claim their baby’s free book.
According to rules posted on the website, parents or legal guardians have 90 days to claim their child's free book on a first-come first-serve basis with a cap of 10,000 books. Registrants must provide photographic proof of the child's birthdate to receive one free book per child per person/household.
Inside the book, parents will find a personalized message that "commemorates the child’s Seussian birthday," Dr. Seuss Enterprises said in a release, and that "encourages parents to read to their child every day."
“Helping ensure all children have easy access to books and literacy programs has always been one of Dr. Seuss’s core missions," Susan Brandt, CEO & President of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, said in the release. "This pledge is an opportunity for us to honor this storied legacy and call attention to this noble cause."
On top of the free book, Dr. Seuss Enterprises has made free resources available for teachers and parents as they are celebrating Dr. Seuss’s birthday. The resources can be found at Seussville.com.
'The Cat in the Hat':'Somewhere in between offensive and inoffensive'
'Cat and the Hat,' Dr. Seuss books controversy
The expansive and long-beloved collection of Dr. Seuss books has taken a cultural hit in recent years on racial insensitivity grounds, with six titles pulled by the Seuss gatekeepers in 2021, USA TODAY previously reported. The books pulled were:
- "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street" (1937)
- "McElligot's Pool" (1947)
- "If I Ran the Zoo" (1950)
- "Scrambled Eggs Super!" (1953)
- "On Beyond Zebra!" (1955)
- "The Cat's Quizzer" (1976)
As for "The Cat in the Hat," "the cat is somewhere in between offensive and inoffensive,” Philip Nel, Kansas State University professor of English and author of “Was the Cat in the Hat Black?: The Hidden Racism of Children’s Literature and the Need for Diverse Books,” previously told USA TODAY.
Nel said that telling aspects of the cat clearly are derived from racist blackface performers popular a century ago – performers, who, like the cat, often wore white gloves and neckwear.
But Geisel also went out of his way during his long career to write stories that celebrated diversity.
Never-before-seen sketches by Dr. Seuss have been added to new books written and illustrated by an inclusive group of authors and artists, the AP reported.
The new line includes original stories matched with unpublished illustrations selected from archives at the University of California San Diego, Dr. Seuss Enterprises said in a statement.
The new line of Dr. Seuss books is expected to hit shelves this spring, according to a release by Penguin Random House.
Contributing: Marco della Cava, USA TODAY; Associated Press
veryGood! (5)
Related
- Real Housewives of New York City Star’s Pregnancy Reveal Is Not Who We Expected
- Court stops Pennsylvania counties from throwing out mail-in votes over incorrect envelope dates
- Hello Kitty's Not a Cat, Goofy's Not a Dog. You'll Be Shocked By These Facts About Your Fave Characters
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Broken Lease
- Cold case arrest: Florida man being held in decades-old Massachusetts double murder
- Dancing With the Stars Alum Cheryl Burke Addresses Artem Chigvintsev’s Arrest
- Angelina Jolie Shares Perspective on Relationships After Being “Betrayed a Lot”
- Trump film ‘The Apprentice’ finds distributor, will open before election
- Patricia Heaton criticizes media, 'extremists' she says 'fear-mongered' in 2024 election
- Michigan Supreme Court rules out refunds for college students upended by COVID-19 rules
Ranking
- Opinion: Chris Wallace leaves CNN to go 'where the action' is. Why it matters
- A famous cherry tree in DC was uprooted. Its clones help keep legacy alive
- Court stops Pennsylvania counties from throwing out mail-in votes over incorrect envelope dates
- Canadian rail union says it has filed lawsuits challenging back-to-work orders
- Are Ciara Ready and Russell Wilson Ready For Another Baby? She Says…
- First look at 'Jurassic World Rebirth': See new cast Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey
- Election 2024 Latest: Trump to appear at Moms for Liberty event, Harris campaign launches bus tour
- Top Brazilian judge orders suspension of X platform in Brazil amid feud with Musk
Recommendation
-
Richard Allen found guilty in the murders of two teens in Delphi, Indiana. What now?
-
From 'The Fall Guy' to Kevin Costner's 'Horizon,' 10 movies you need to stream right now
-
Carlos Alcaraz’s surprising US Open loss to Botic van de Zandschulp raises questions
-
Former California employee to get $350K to settle sexual harassment claims against state treasurer
-
LSU student arrested over threats to governor who wanted a tiger at college football games
-
Michigan Supreme Court says businesses can’t get state compensation over pandemic closures
-
Trump film ‘The Apprentice’ finds distributor, will open before election
-
Trump courts conservative male influencers to try to reach younger men