The Foot Book
Encyclopedia
The Foot Book: Dr. Seuss's Wacky Book of Opposites (ISBN 0-394-80937-8) is a children's book written by Dr. Seuss
and first published in 1968.
The Foot Book is intended for young children, and it seeks to convey the concept of opposites through depictions of different kinds of feet. The text of The Foot Book is highly stylized, containing the rhymes, repetitions, and cadences typical of Dr. Seuss's work. Reading this book will teach the reader that you should not judge any one because of what they look like or in this case their feet.
The Foot Book is Seuss's first in the Bright and Early Books series, intended for children too young for books in the Beginner Books
series. It was also his first book after the death of his wife Helen Palmer Geisel
, and Seuss put in eight-hour days working on it as a way of coping with his loss. The Foot Book was extremely successful, and as of 1997, it was in its 52nd reprinting.
, a publishing project in Laos, drew on The Foot Book to develop Baby Frog, Baby Monkey, a book for very young readers that uses rhymes, repetition, and the pairing of opposite words.
Dr. Seuss
Theodor Seuss Geisel was an American writer, poet, and cartoonist most widely known for his children's books written under the pen names Dr. Seuss, Theo LeSieg and, in one case, Rosetta Stone....
and first published in 1968.
The Foot Book is intended for young children, and it seeks to convey the concept of opposites through depictions of different kinds of feet. The text of The Foot Book is highly stylized, containing the rhymes, repetitions, and cadences typical of Dr. Seuss's work. Reading this book will teach the reader that you should not judge any one because of what they look like or in this case their feet.
The Foot Book is Seuss's first in the Bright and Early Books series, intended for children too young for books in the Beginner Books
Beginner Books
Beginner Books is the Random House imprint for young children ages 4-8, co-founded by Phyllis Cerf with Ted Geisel, more often known as Dr. Seuss, and his wife Helen Palmer Geisel.Their first book was Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat...
series. It was also his first book after the death of his wife Helen Palmer Geisel
Helen Palmer Geisel
Helen Palmer Geisel was an American actress and author and the first wife of children's book writer Dr. Seuss. Her most well known book is Do You Know What I'm Going To Do Next Saturday?, published in 1963...
, and Seuss put in eight-hour days working on it as a way of coping with his loss. The Foot Book was extremely successful, and as of 1997, it was in its 52nd reprinting.
Inspiration for others
Like many Dr. Seuss books, The Foot Book has inspired others. Big Brother MouseBig Brother Mouse
Big Brother Mouse is a publishing project in Laos. It focuses on publishing books that improve literacy and quality of life; and on making those books accessible, particularly in rural Lao villages. Books are scarce in Laos...
, a publishing project in Laos, drew on The Foot Book to develop Baby Frog, Baby Monkey, a book for very young readers that uses rhymes, repetition, and the pairing of opposite words.