 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2013) |
| Parent company | Random House |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1957 |
| Founder | Phyllis Fraser Dr. Seuss Helen Palmer |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Headquarters location | New York City |
| Publication types | Books |
| Official website | www |
Beginner Books is the Random House imprint for young children ages 3–9, co-founded by Phyllis Cerf with Ted Geisel, more often known as Dr. Seuss, and his wife Helen Palmer Geisel. Their first book was Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat (1957), whose title character appears in the brand's logo. Cerf compiled a list of 379 words as the basic vocabulary for young readers, along with another 20 slightly harder "emergency" words.[1] No more than 200 words were taken from that list to write The Cat in the Hat. Subsequent books in the series were modeled on the same requirement.[2]
Beginner Books had only four titles in their catalog in 1958. Two years later, they were earning 1 million dollars a year. Random House acquired Beginner Books in 1960[3] and was the largest publisher of children's books in the United States.
- ^ Judith Morgan and Neil Morgan, Dr. Seuss & Mr. Geisel: A Biography (Da Capo Press, 1996), ISBN 978-0-306-80736-7.
- ^ Excerpt available at Google Books.
- ^ "RANDOM HOUSE EXPANDS; Acquiring Stock of Beginner Books, Pending Approval". The New York Times. July 29, 1960. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 6, 2021.