Description
First trade edition of The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss, in first state dust jacket.
Octavo, 61pp, [1]. Blue illustrated boards, title in white on spine and front board. No additional printings listed on copyright page. Solid text block, faint foxing to top edge, light rubbing to corners, a near fine example. In publisher’s first state dust jacket, 200/200 on front flap, no mention of Beginner Books series in educator reviews on back cover. Faint toning to verso, short tear near bottom corner of front panel, some shelf wear, a very good example. (Younger & Hirsch, 7)
The Cat in the Hat was published in both an education edition for schools and a trade edition for sale in bookstores. Dr. Seuss said The Cat in the Hat “is the book I’m proudest of because it had something to do with the death of the Dick and Jane primers.” Those primers, used frequently in schools, featured idealized children in very bland forms and emphasized word recognition, whereas Seuss focused on phonics. The Cat in the Hat is said to be the children’s book that made Dr. Seuss famous and led to the creation of Beginner Books; a publisher dedicated to producing books similar to Seuss’ imaginative readers to help promote literacy.
