The Cat in the Hat Cat in the Hat" is the book that made Dr. Seuss famous. Without "The Cat", Seuss would have remained a minor light in the history of children's literature." Donald Pease concurs, writing, ""The Cat in the Hat" is the classic in the archive of Dr. Seuss stories for which it serves as a cornerstone and a linchpin. Before writing it Geisel was better known for the 'Quick, Henry, the Flit!' ad campaign than for his nine children's books." The publication and popularity of the book thrust Geisel into the center of the United States literacy debate, what Pease called "the
The Cat in the Hat the cat manages to clean up the mess." In 1999, the United States Postal Service issued a stamp featuring the Cat in the Hat. "The Cat in the Hat"s popularity also led to increased popularity and exposure for Geisel's previous children's books. For example, 1940's "Horton Hatches the Egg" had sold 5,801 copies in its opening year and 1,645 the following year. In 1958, the year after the publication of "The Cat in the Hat", 27,643 copies of "Horton" were sold, and by 1960 the book had sold a total of over 200,000 copies. "The Cat in the Hat" has