(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Everyone's heard of The Cat in the Hat, but have you ever wondered about the book's history?  The beloved tale turned 60 this year—what better time could there be to learn more about this enduring children's classic?  It's a great time to ask questions like:  How did Theodore Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss) come up with the idea for the story?  Why does the book contain only 236 words, all of which are perfectly ordinary, not made-up ones like oobleck and yerka and wumbus?  And why did Dr. Seuss write about a cat when he liked dogs better?  

Wonder no more.

Imagine That!, a new picture book by Judy Sierra (illustrated by Kevin Hawkes), answers all those questions and more.  In spirited, engaging prose Sierra explains why and how Geisel wrote The Cat in the Hat.  She throws in lots of interesting tidbits about the author's writing process, all of which highlight how fun, creative, and clever he was.  With bright, Seuss-ish pictures to enhance the text, Imagine That! is a playful, easy-to-read, story-behind-the-story tale.  Adults and children alike will enjoy learning more about The Cat in the Hat through this delightful book.

P.S. If you want to learn even more about Dr. Seuss, be sure to visit Judy Sierra's blog, where she's been posting all the fascinating Theodore Geisel facts she couldn't fit into Imagine That! 

(Readalikes:  The Cat in the Hat and other books by Dr. Seuss)

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To the FTC, with love:  I received an ARC of Imagine That! from the generous folks at Random House Children's Books.  Thank you!