Dr. Seuss Breaks Records Even After His Passing

Not to be outdone by Harper Lee's mega successful re-discovered manuscript, Dr. Seuss' What Pet Should I Get? broke sales records to become the fastest-selling picture book in the history of Random House Children's Books. Even more, it sits atop Publishers Weekly 's bestseller list, directly above Lee's Go Set a Watchman — and ahead of E.L. James' Grey at No. 3 and John Green's big screen hit Paper Towns at No. 4. What Pet Should I Get? sold 200,000 copies in its first week released. But you probably already know this because you bought it for every baby shower (and adult with a childlike spirit's birthday party) you plan on attending this year.

Random House Children's Books president and publisher Barbara Marcus spoke to Publishers Weekly about the picture book's major success:

We are so pleased with the tremendous sales for What Pet Should I Get? across North America, and the reports from many booksellers that it was their biggest-selling title, adult or children’s, last week. This picture book treasure now sits prominently among the fastest selling picture books of all time — and we couldn’t be prouder to share it with readers everywhere.

Seuss' widow Audrey Geisel — the doctor's real name is Theodore Geisel — found her husband's "lost" manuscript for What Pet Should I Get? years back, but she held onto it until this year, the 15-year anniversary of Oh The Places You'll Go!, which was the final book Seuss published in his lifetime. Seuss allegedly wrote What Pet Should I Get? as a sequel to his classic Hop on Pop.

What Pet Should I Get? focuses on two siblings who go to a pet store on their parents' dime and, yes, struggle to make a decision on what pet to get. It's a deceptively simple story about the struggles we all have with choice in the real world, especially when our imaginations run wild. The back matter of the book show's Seuss' own story of his love of animals.

Even more excellent news about the newest Seuss book is that the publisher and Dr. Seuss Enterprises are joining forces to fight for animal rights, like the good doctor would have wanted. If you take a picture of you and your pet and tag it #whatpet, every shared photo on Instagram or Twitter will mark $1 donation to the ASPCA.

Even from beyond this world, Dr. Seuss is lighting up the hearts and imaginations of kids (and us grown-ups, too).