It’s very fitting that our Character Cavalcade Week happens to coincide with today, the birthday of the ultimate children’s character creator himself, Dr. Seuss (a.k.a. Theodore Geisel). From the Cat in the Hat to Horton to the Grinch and those unforgettable Whos,  the imaginative characters born in Dr. Seuss’ mind still live on in the hearts of adults and children around the world.

Photo by ashanlever

In honor of Seuss’ birthday, we celebrate by encouraging children to dive into the amazing depths of reading through the National Education Association’s Read Across America program.  All over the U.S. from Dothan, Alabama, to Atlantic City, New Jersey, to Lincoln, Nebraska, to Bismark, North Dakota, and everywhere in between, celebrations marked the legacy of Dr. Seuss while also encouraging children to explore their own imaginations through reading.

But a little side note for all the writers out there—not even the world famous Dr. Seuss had a hard time getting published. According an article commemorating what would have been Seuss’ 100^th birthday in 2004, his first book was rejected by 27 publishers before a chance meeting with a friend in the publishing industry convinced Seuss not to burn it.

In honor of this Seuss-tastic occasion, we have decided to extend a special position in the Duolit Pantheon of Incredible Characters for an author who was quite a character himself (speaking of characters, if you need a good laugh you’ve got to check out this video of the Rev. Jesse Jackson reading “Green Eggs and Ham”).

We’re also (just for the fun of it—because Dr. Seuss has always been about fun) going to throw in a few of our favorite Seuss quotes to mark the day. Enjoy and Happy Seuss Day to all, no matter how big, no matter how small!

Duolit’s Top 5 Dr. Seuss Quotes:

5.  “Nonsense wakes up the brain cells. And it helps develop a sense of humor, which is awfully important in this day and age. Humor has a tremendous place in this sordid world. It’s more than just a matter of laughing. If you can see things out of whack, then you can see how things can be in whack.”

4.  “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go.”

3. “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

2. “So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads.”

1. “You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.”