Dr Seuss: The Cat Behind the Hat by Caroline Smith (Chase Art Companies, November 2012) is a full-color biography to the artist so well known for his children’s books and cartoons. I love his classic readers. The Grinch is a must a Christmas, and Green Eggs and Ham was a favorite of mine when I was young.

To learn about this beloved children’s author would have been interesting enough. How did he discover his wacky ideas? Yet, as is clear from Ms Smith’s biography, Geisel is not your average children’s book writer. Because of intense desire for privacy, he did not publicize his “night paintings,” which is what he called his private creations and inventions. It is interesting that on Wikipedia, Theodore Geisel is listed as a “writer, poet, and cartoonist.” It is clear to me that he is far more: he is an creative and talented artist.

Personally, I find Geisel’s surrealistic artwork is far more fun than Dali or Ernst. I loved a peak into his inspiration as I review some of his personal paintings. Dr Seuss: The Cat Behind the Hat is well designed and attractive. It includes brief discussion about his life and his inspirations, and then Ms Smith lets his paintings tell the rest of the story. It is a lovely book for Seuss fans to browse, as well as to read for further understanding of the mysterious and creative Doctor.

See more about Dr Seuss books and play online games at www.seussville.com.

Note: I received a digital review copy of The Cat Behind the Hat from the publisher via netgalley.com.