FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Media Relations October 27, 2003 202-268-2155 Stamp Release No. 064 www.usps.com POSTAL SERVICE UNVEILS NEW POSTAGE STAMP HONORING BELOVED AUTHOR DR. SEUSS SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Letters, letters, everywhere, written in longhand. A stamp, a stamp is needed, for mail to cross the land. Which one - just one? - should we use, then? Next year you will see. Theodor Seuss Geisel! It's the stamp for you and me! The U.S. Postal Service today unveiled the design of a new commemorative stamp celebrating the life and work of beloved, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ted Geisel, known affectionately around the world as Dr. Seuss. The Theodor Seuss Geisel stamp will be issued March 2, 2004, in La Jolla, Calif., as part of the "Seussentennial: A Century of Imagination," a yearlong celebration honoring his life and legacy on what would've been his 100th birthday. "Since 1847, stamps - those tiny yet magnificent works of art - have helped carry the mail to virtually every home and business in America and throughout the world," said Jon Steele, vice president of the Postal Service's Northeast Area. "Although sometimes taken for granted, stamps play an important role in celebrating our country's heritage. And that's why, today, we are so pleased to announce a new stamp honoring international icon and local hero Ted Geisel," he said. Joining Steele at the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden for the unveiling ceremony were Audrey Geisel, Theodor Geisel's wife; Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass.); Joseph Carvalho, president and executive director, Springfield Library and Museums; and Michael Albano, mayor of Springfield. Entertaining the enthusiastic crowd of Dr. Seuss fans and stamp collectors were the "Seuss Singers," a 40-member youth vocalist group. Theodor Seuss Geisel was born on March 2, 1904, in Springfield, Mass. After graduating from Dartmouth College in 1925, he studied literature at Oxford University in England, but he left without a degree after deciding that he did not want to be a college professor. He returned to Springfield in 1927 to begin his new career as an artist and writer. After sending his work to numerous magazines, he made his first sale to "The Saturday Evening Post," which published one of his cartoons in its July 16, 1927, issue. Shortly afterwards he moved to New York City and joined the staff of the humor magazine "Judge," where he first used the pen name Dr. Seuss. In 1936, after a successful stint in advertising, Geisel authored the first of his 44 books for children, "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street." The rhyming text combined with illustrations was unusual in children's books at the time, and 27 publishers rejected the manuscript before Vanguard Press published it in 1937. Reviewers recognized that Dr. Seuss had created a new kind of book that appealed to a child's imagination and sense of humor. Subsequent books by Dr. Seuss introduced characters who became part of American popular culture, such as Horton the elephant in "Horton Hatches the Egg" (1940) and "Horton Hears a Who!" (1954) and the Grinch in "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" (1957). Dr. Seuss books typically feature a story in verse seasoned with zany humor and illustrated with drawings of fantastic creatures. Although his books often teach a lesson about virtues like compassion and loyalty, they are never preachy. Many consider "The Cat in the Hat" (1957) his most innovative book. Challenged by an editor to write a groundbreaking book for beginning readers that was imaginative and fun, Geisel worked from a vocabulary list of only 225 words. It was an immediate success and is now considered one of the most influential readers ever written. "Children want the same things we want," Geisel once said. "To laugh, to be challenged, to be entertained and delighted." The last two books written and illustrated by Geisel reflected the wisdom of his years. "You're Only Old Once!" (1986), a wry look at aging for adult readers, was subtitled "A Book for Obsolete Children"; it was published on his 82nd birthday. His final book, the best-seller "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" (1990), offered encouragement to the young as they set out on the journey of life. He died on Sept. 24, 1991, in La Jolla, Calif. The stamp features a color photograph of Geisel taken in Dallas, Texas, in 1987. In the stamp design, Geisel is surrounded by his illustrations of six characters from his books. From left to right: The Cat in the Hat; the Grinch; the Glotz from "Oh Say Can You Say?" (1979); and the Skritz, the anonymous "young fellow" and the Skrink from "I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew" (1965). To see the Theodor Seuss Geisel stamp, visit the Postal Service Web site and open this news release at www.usps.com/communications/news/stamps/welcome.htm. Current U.S. stamps and stationery, as well as a free catalog, are available by toll-free phone order at 1 800 STAMP-24. In addition, a selection of stamps and other philatelic items are available at the online Postal Store at www.usps.com/shop. Custom-framed art prints of original stamp art are available at www.postalartgallery.com. Since 1775, the U.S. Postal Service has connected friends, families, neighbors and businesses by mail. It is an independent federal agency that visits more than 141 million homes and businesses every day and is the only service provider to deliver to every address in the nation. The Postal Service receives no taxpayer dollars for routine operations, but derives its operating revenues solely from the sale of postage, products and services. With annual revenues of more than $68.9 billion, it is the world's leading provider of mailing and delivery services, offering some of the most affordable postage rates in the world. The U.S. Postal Service delivers more than 46 percent of the world's mail volume - some 202 billion letters, advertisements, periodicals and packages a year - and serves seven million customers each day at its 40,000 retail locations nationwide. - 30 -