Congratulations, today is your day: A free book giveaway to honor Dr. Seuss' birthday

By MARK KENNEDY AP Entertainment Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Babies born this coming Saturday could get a birthday present featuring a guy who knows how to have fun — The Cat in the Hat.

Dr. Seuss Enterprises is celebrating the iconic children’s author’s 120th birthday with a free giveaway of “The Cat in the Hat” to U.S. residents who have a baby born this March 2.

The offer is on a first-come, first-served basis, capping at 10,000 copies. Entrants must be at least 18, legal residents of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., and be parents or legal guardians of a child born March 2, 2024.

“Helping ensure all children have easy access to books and literacy programs has always been one of Dr. Seuss’s core missions. This pledge is an opportunity for us to honor this storied legacy and call attention to this noble cause," Susan Brandt, CEO & president of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, said in a statement.

New parents have 90 days to claim their free book, starting Saturday and until May 31. Participants must submit their full name, email address, mailing address, phone number, baby’s name and upload proof of the child’s March 2, 2024, birthdate.

Each book will have a personalized message that commemorates the child’s Seussian birthday. Books donated for the pledge will be supplied by Dr. Seuss’s long-time publishing partner Random House Children’s books.

Dr. Seuss, born Theodor Geisel, was born on March 2, 1904. His books such as “Green Eggs and Ham” and “The Cat in the Hat” remain popular decades after Geisel’s death in 1991.