Ananyaa Bhowmik | Wealth of Geeks
It all started with a glare in the mirror. Theodor Geisel, at the time a former ad writer turned marginally successful author of children’s books, caught a glimpse of his own scowl in the mirror.
Geisel, of course, is much better known by his nom de plume, Dr. Seuss. And the scowl he saw in the mirror became one of his most beloved characters, a grumpy green “man” known as the Grinch. The creature’s book – How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, along with The Cat in the Hat, published the same year- skyrocketed Seuss to unheard of success. That was 1957.
Almost 70 years later, the brilliant How the Grinch Stole Christmas! has a sequel. And fans could not be more excited.
How the Grinch Lost Christmas! is the official sequel to the Grinch’s story, released on September 5th, just in time for this holiday season. Writer Alastair Heim and illustrator Aristides Ruiz created the book with the blessing of Dr. Seuss Enterprises and Random House Publishing.
“How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is one of the most beloved holiday celebration books of all time. Adding to that legacy with a sequel is a process we have carefully considered, and we love what the author and illustrator have created,” explains Susan Brandt, President and CEO of Dr. Seuss Enterprises. “We feel it will be yet another heartwarming piece of Seussian literature that will help families around the world grow their hearts three more sizes as they celebrate the holidays for decades to come.”
Much like the first book of the series, How the Grinch Lost Christmas! teaches its readers a valuable lesson about the holiday’s true spirit. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! has sold over ten million copies in just North America. It has multiple translations and adaptations. And with good reason, too. After all, it is a story that reminds children and adults worldwide of the true meaning of Christmas.
The Tale of the Grinch
In the first book, the Grinch, who hated Christmas, tries to ruin the holiday by robbing all the people of Who-ville of their decorations and delicious feasts. But the Whos celebrated Christmas anyway, as families across the community gathered to sing Christmas songs in the morning.
That day, the Grinch realized that Christmas is not about the shiny things, all the gifts, or the food. It is about warmth, kindness, and love. It is about family, not over-the-top festivities.
‘But what happens next?’ is a question parents who have shared either the book or its filmed sequels have often encountered.
They’re not the only ones.
Alice Jonaitis, Executive Editor, Dr. Seuss Publishing, says, “One of the most asked questions we receive from Seuss fans of all ages is ‘What do you think happened to the Grinch after he stole Christmas?’”
Seven decades later, Alastair Heim penned the sequel to this heartwarming tale, with Aristides Ruiz illustrating it. Both Heim and Ruiz have previous experience working with the Dr Seuss universe. Ruiz has illustrated Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library books for over 20 years. Heim has written multiple Seuss-themed books.
How the Grinch Lost Christmas! picks up the story of the Grinch a year after he stole Christmas. Last time, his heart grew three sizes, and he became a fan of the holiday. In the sequel, readers find out what happened the year after. In the story, the Grinch tries to show off how much he adores Christmas by building the best, most spectacular Christmas tree anyone has ever seen. This would help him win Who-ville’s Christmas Crown.
However, His plan goes haywire, and his heart hardens again. But Cindy-Lou saves the day by reminding the Grinch that Christmas is not about winning a crown or having the most splendid tree. It is about the joy of celebrating with people you love.
Dr Seuss died in 1991 at 87, having authored dozens of beloved books. This included books like Green Eggs and Ham and The Cat in the Hat. Years later, his work is still famous. Forbes magazine ranked him as the eighth highest-paid dead celebrity in 2022, with over $32 million in earnings.
Despite his popularity, this is the first time Dr. Seuss Enterprises and Random House Children’s Books are expanding the Grinch universe. The book will feature a foil-enhanced jacket and beautiful illustrations in the original style.
The Team Behind the Dream
Maria Correa at Random House Children’s Books was in charge of editing the project.
Alastair Heim has written 13 children’s books, including Hello, Door, The Great Puppy Invasion, and Quiet Down, Loud Town! His books have gone on to win several awards and accolades. He has also written three books set in the Dr. Seuss universe. This includes If I Had Your Vote, If I Ran Your School, and If I Were Saint Nick. All three of these books feature the Cat in the Hat. Heim also wrote the board book I Am the Cat in the Hat.
Illustrator Aristides Ruiz is a native of New Jersey. He has illustrated hundreds of children’s books, including more than 40 books in the Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library series.
Despite wild speculation, there are no official plans to translate How the Grinch Lost Christmas! for TV or film. The book can be found at all major and minor book retailers.
This article was produced by Bookworm Era and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
