A lost Dr Seuss story resurfaces for America’s anniversary

A rare, previously unknown manuscript by Dr Seuss has been discovered and will be published in 2026, arriving just ahead of the United States’ 250th anniversary celebrations. The book, titled Sing the 50 States, once again features the iconic Cat in the Hat guiding young readers through linguistic play, this time by teaching the names of the American states with Dr Seuss’ signature rhyme and rhythm.

Rare Dr Seuss find to be published after decades

This find marks the first complete Seuss manuscript to surface since What Pet Should I Get? was released posthumously in 2015, and its discovery offers a fresh glimpse into Theodor Geisel’s creative legacy. The text was unearthed earlier this year in archival materials stored at the Geisel Library at the University of California San Diego, alongside a cover sketch and notes on the visual approach. Although the story had not been prepared for publication during Seuss’ lifetime, it appears to have been carefully conceptualised, with early artwork ideas preserved in his personal documents.

The new edition features illustrations by Tom Brannon, created in the familiar Dr Seuss style to maintain continuity with the author’s visual world, while still allowing a contemporary audience to access the whimsical charm that defined his work. According to Susan Brandt, president and CEO of Dr Seuss Enterprises, the manuscript feels like “a time capsule” of his imagination, reflecting both his love of language and his instinct for accessible storytelling.

Random House Children’s Books is scheduled to publish Sing the 50 States on 2 June 2026, with an initial run of 500,000 copies. While the release coincides with a major cultural milestone in the United States, the work also stands as a reminder of Seuss’ lasting influence on children’s literature, where geography and wordplay become part of a larger imaginative journey.

For readers who grew up with Dr Seuss — and for a new generation encountering him for the first time — this rediscovered manuscript represents a moment of literary nostalgia as well as a rare archival recovery. Its publication highlights how the author’s playful philosophy continues to resonate decades beyond his lifetime, reinforcing the idea that storytelling remains a bridge between memory, culture, and curiosity.

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