The Cat in the Hat is a children's book written by Dr. Seuss and was first published in 1957. Seuss wrote the book after being challenged to write a story beginning readers would love. He was given a list of 438 words beginning readers were expected to know. He was told these were the only words he could use. He used 223 words on the list. The Cat would appear in other Dr. Seuss books. More than 11 million copies of the book have been printed. It has been translated into more than 12 different languages including Latin and Yiddish. The story has been made into a television special and a 2003 movie. The Cat appears in a Broadway musical called "Seussical". He also is the host of the educational children's shows The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss and The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That.