The Dr. Seuss Book Worth Thousands That May Be Hiding In Your Bookcase

In 1957, when Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel wrote his seminal children's picture book "The Cat in the Hat," he was under contract with Random House, who handled the bulk of his books. The story goes — as related in Judith and Neil Morgan's 1995 biography "Dr. Seuss and Mr. Geisel" — that Seuss agreed to write "The Cat in the Hat" after talking to one of the higher ups at rival publisher Houghton Mifflin, who wanted a kid-friendly, language educational book for America's classrooms. Bennett Cerf, the head of Random House, had to strike a special agreement with Houghton Mifflin so that Seuss could write the book. Random House would be allowed to sell "The Cat in the Hat" in book stores, while Mifflin would oversee the publication of classroom editions. 

Generations of kids have since grown up with "The Cat in the Hat," but memories may differ as to which publisher's label they see on the spine. Some might have seen the 2003 "Cat in the Hat" movie, but the less said about that film, the better. 

Technically, Mifflin's edition came first, having been published in the early months of 1957, with the Random House version hitting shelves on March 1. Do you have a copy in your house? Does it have a dust jacket? If so, go get it and check on the upper righthand corner on the inside of the dust jacket. If you see a very faint "200/200" marking, then you are in possession of an exceptionally rare first Random House edition. You might want to seal that copy in a slipcover or take some kind of additional protective measures, as it may be worth a great deal of money. It certainly would be if you have Dr. Seuss' autograph inside. A 2024 article in the Daily Mirror pointed out that a first edition of "The Cat in the Hat" might be worth as much as $16,500, especially if it's signed. 

On the website AbeBooks, an excellent used book retailer, one can buy a signed, first edition Random House copy of "The Cat in the Hat" for $12,500. The value of your book is, of course, going to depend on its condition. Maybe contact a qualified appraiser of books to learn of your collection's true value. 

Although the Mifflin edition came first, the Random House version is, it seems, considered the more important one. "The Cat in the Hat" was a big hit in bookstores (again, according to the Morgans' 1995 biography), but wasn't a big seller in school. While Random House raked in cash over sales, Mifflin struggled to get it in classrooms. Seuss himself has said in interviews (like the 1954 Tim Magazine interview, transcribed on the 1st Edition website), that he hated the most popular children's books of his day, as they were too drab and sanitized. 

Seuss specifically hated the "Dick & Jane" books, conceived by Zerna Sharp in 1930, saying that the books were merely full of "insipid illustrations depicting the slicked-up lives of other children." "The Cat in the Hat" was meant to be an antidote to "Dick & Jane." Sadly, it didn't initially catch on because too many teachers were fond of "Dick & Jane," having grown up with them themselves. Seuss wanted to write a story about children who misbehave sometimes. Y'know, the way children actually do. 

The book eventually caught on, of course, and has sold tens of millions of copies worldwide. It's still in print, and, no matter the age of the person reading this article, it's likely they, too, grew up reading it. One might even say that "The Cat in the Hat" is one of the most popular pieces of American literature in the nation's history. The awful movie adaptation is, weirdly, a streaming hit. 

There was something of a scandal in the Dr. Seuss world in 2021, as several of the author's books would be pulled from publication, due to racist imagery. Seuss was a product of his time, and was not above making racially insensitive stereotypes in line with what many artists and publishers were doing. On the list of discontinued books were "If I Ran the Zoo," "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street," "McElligot's Pool," "On Beyond Zebra!," "Scrambled Eggs Super!" and "The Cat's Quizzer." These books depicted Black people or Asian people in a stereotypical light, and are most certainly not appropriate for modern kids. At least not without a lengthy explanation about the evolution of racial attitudes in American art. The story was covered by the BBC and other outlets. 

Dr. Seuss Enterprises came to the decision after consulting with many teachers and parents, eventually declaring in a press statement that "Ceasing sales of these books is only part of our commitment and our broader plan to ensure Dr. Seuss Enterprises' catalogue represents and supports all communities and families." 

There was, however, a backlash against the publication pull, instigated by a certain subsection of Americans who were preoccupied with what they called "cancel culture." It was a whole deal. Many felt that the racist images should remain in circulation, as retaining the original images still had value. Many came to value the books once they were pulled. A quick trip to eBay reveals that some are trying to sell copies of "If I Ran the Zoo" for hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. 

Of course, some book collectors may be gathering up the discontinued Seuss titles merely for their newfound rarity; I hate to speculate on a seller's motivations. 

As of this writing, an adaptation of "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" is said to be in the works.