The Boy on Fairfield Street is a picture book biography by noted biographer, Kathleen Krull. The author has won many awards for her flawlessly researched nonfiction. In this book, she does not document her research by citing sources. She does include a bibliography of �Great Works Written and Illustrated by Dr. Seuss� and suggested books and websites for further reading. She includes a list of the Dr. Seuss books from which she drew the miniature vignettes which accent the end pages and each page of text.
She gives a balanced portrayal of the artist, including his eccentricities and weaknesses, as well as his creative genius. An example is when Ted deliberately deceived his parents. �. . . he applied for a prestigious grant to study English literature at Oxford University in England and led his parents to believe he was getting it.� (p. 28) He was also prone to gross exaggeration: �Ted let out a hoot and ran upstairs to tell his parents � with a little exaggeration � that the Post was going to publish all his drawings from now on.� (p. 32)
Krull sticks to authentic events, and does not resort to imagined events or invented conversations. The only direct quotes in the book are statements made by President Theodore Roosevelt and Helen Palmer, who would become Giesel�s wife. The author describes the way young Ted suffered as a result of the prejudice against Germans, without belaboring the social and political issues of the day. She describes a landmark experience in the young boys life, when he was publicly humiliated by the president of the United States, and shows the longterm influence it had on him.
The design of the book conveys an aura of the historic period. The illustrations by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher make an important contribution to the telling of the story. �Krull's pithy text is extended by full-page paintings that glow with the memory of yesteryear and capture the mix of humor and poignancy that comes with trying to fit in.� (Booklist, February 1, 2004) The end papers, which show young Ted surrounded by whimsical images which would later appear in his books, are a wordless tribute to the genius of his imagination. Each page of text in the book is accented with a cameo from a Dr. Seuss book. The main body of the book is followed by a four-page sequel that picks up where the story book ends. Written in a smaller font, it is clearly for the benefit of older children and adults who wish to know more about the famous Dr. Seuss.
This book is a gift from Krull to young Dr. Seuss fans in celebration of his 100th birthday. Fans of Giesel�s whimsical books, whatever their age, will enjoy learning about the influences that shaped the authors career. School Library Journal (January 1, 2004) says �Krull's work is a terrific look at the boyhood of one of the most beloved author/illustrators of the 20th century.�
Sources
Books in Print [database online]. Available from http://www.booksinprint.com. Accessed 01 March 05.
Recognition for The Boy on Fairfield Street
Texas Bluebonnet Master List
New York Times Bestseller
Related Websites
Seusville
Springfield Museum�s Dr. Seuss Site
Kathleen Krull Website
School of Library and Information Studies
TEXAS WOMAN'S UNIVERSITY