Ever walked into a shelter and felt that weird, tight pressure in your chest because every single dog looked like "the one"? That’s the core of the human experience. Indecision. It’s paralyzing. In 2015, the world got a "new" book from a man who had been dead for over twenty years, and it tackled exactly that. What Pet Should I Get by Dr. Seuss isn't just a posthumous cash grab; it’s a time capsule that shows us exactly how Theodor Geisel worked before he became a global institution.
Most people think of Seuss as this effortless fountain of rhymes. He wasn't. He was a perfectionist who would spend months agonizing over a single stanza. When his widow, Audrey Geisel, and his longtime secretary found the manuscript and sketches for this book in a box in 2013, it was like finding a lost Beatles tape. It wasn't just a story; it was a look into his brain during the late 50s or early 60s.
The Story Behind the Box in the Hallway
The history here is actually kind of wild. Audrey Geisel was cleaning out her late husband's office in their La Jolla, California home—a place often called "The Tower"—shortly after his death in 1991. She found a folder full of materials but set it aside. It literally sat in a box for about twenty-two years before it was rediscovered.
Think about that.
The book features the same brother-and-sister duo from One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. It feels familiar because it is familiar. Scholars believe Geisel worked on it between 1958 and 1962. That’s the peak Seuss era. He eventually set it aside to focus on other projects, likely because the ending—which we’ll get into—was so unconventional for a children's book at the time.
Why the Ending of What Pet Should I Get Frustrates People
If you’re looking for a neat resolution where the kids pick the golden retriever and live happily ever after, you're going to be disappointed. Dr. Seuss doesn't tell you what pet they chose.
The book ends with the kids leaving the pet store, a pair of eyes peeking out from a basket. That’s it. It’s a cliffhanger.
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Some parents hate this. They want the closure. But honestly? That’s the genius of it. Geisel was obsessed with the idea of making up your mind. The "Make Up Your Mind" refrain in the book is a mantra. By not showing the choice, he forces the kid reading it to make the choice themselves. It turns a passive reading experience into an active debate. "What would you pick? Why? Does the tall one fit in the car? Can we afford to feed the one that looks like a tent?"
It’s a lesson in opportunity cost. To choose one thing is to give up another. That’s a heavy concept for a toddler, but Seuss always treated kids like they were smart enough to handle heavy concepts.
Connecting to One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
You can clearly see the DNA of his 1960 classic here. The art style is strikingly similar—lots of pen and ink with limited color palettes. When Random House prepared the book for publication, they had to make some tough calls. The original sketches were black and white. Art director Cathy Goldsmith, who had actually worked with Geisel during his lifetime, had to figure out how he would have colored it.
She looked at One Fish, Two Fish for the blueprint. She used those specific 1960s-era primary tones. This is why What Pet Should I Get by Dr. Seuss feels so authentic. It doesn't have that shiny, over-produced digital look of modern children’s books. It looks like it was pulled straight out of a time machine.
The Problem with "The Cat"
In the book, the kids see a "Yent" and a "Tall" and all sorts of bizarre Seussian creatures. But then they see a cat and a dog. The simplicity of the choice is what makes it hard.
Seuss was a dog person. Most people know about his dog, Cluny, an Irish Setter who used to sleep in his studio. But he also had a deep appreciation for the weirdness of cats. In this book, the cat and dog represent the safe choices, while the imaginary creatures represent the "what if" of childhood.
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A Different Time: The Pet Store Context
One thing that sticks out to modern readers is that the kids are in a pet store. In the 1950s, that was just how you got a pet. Today, the conversation is almost exclusively about "Adopt, Don't Shop."
The publishers were actually worried about this.
To address it, they included an extensive backmatter section in the book. It explains the history of the manuscript but also includes a note about animal shelters and rescue organizations. It’s a rare moment where a Dr. Seuss book acknowledges that the world has changed since the ink dried. They managed to keep the integrity of the original story while updating the "message" for a 21st-century audience.
The Artistic Struggle of Theodor Geisel
Geisel was notorious for his "Great Garbage Can" approach. He would draw hundreds of pages and throw 90% of them away. The fact that this manuscript survived at all suggests he wasn't done with it. He hadn't given up on it; he just hadn't cracked the code yet.
Some critics argue that the rhymes in What Pet Should I Get by Dr. Seuss aren't as tight as The Cat in the Hat or Green Eggs and Ham. They’re right. It’s a bit more sprawling. The meter jumps around. But for a Seuss fan, that’s the draw. It’s like seeing a master painter’s sketchbook. You see the rough edges. You see where he was playing with an idea before it was polished into a diamond.
Key Facts About the Publication:
- Discovered: 2013
- Published: July 28, 2015
- Initial Print Run: 1 million copies (massive for a picture book)
- Primary Characters: Kay and her brother (unnamed, but widely accepted as the One Fish, Two Fish kids)
How to Use This Book with Your Own Kids
If you’re reading this to a child, don't just breeze through the rhymes. Stop.
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Look at the page where the kids are surrounded by the "Fast" and the "Beast." Ask the kid: "If we had to pick one right now, and we couldn't change our minds, which one goes home with us?"
It’s an exercise in decision-making. We live in a world of infinite scrolls and endless options. This book is about the necessity of the "Final Choice." It teaches that you can't have everything, and that's okay. The act of choosing is what makes the pet yours.
Final Insights on the Seuss Legacy
The release of What Pet Should I Get by Dr. Seuss was a cultural milestone because it reminded us that Geisel was a craftsman, not a machine. He struggled with endings. He struggled with choices. Just like the kids in the pet shop, he was often stuck between two good ideas, trying to figure out which one to take home.
The book serves as a perfect bridge for children transitioning from simple picture books to more complex narratives. It’s simple enough for a three-year-old to follow but deep enough for a seven-year-old to debate.
Next Steps for Your Home Library
- Compare the art: Sit down with this book and One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. Look at the character designs for the boy and the girl. It’s a great way to show kids how an artist’s style remains consistent over years of work.
- Visit a shelter: Use the book’s ending as a springboard to talk about where pets come from today. Explain why the "pet shop" in the book looks different from the local rescue you might visit.
- Practice "The Choice": The next time your child is indecisive at a toy store or a restaurant, use the Seuss line: "Make up your mind." It’s a playful way to acknowledge that picking is hard, but necessary.
- Research the "Lost" Seuss: If you enjoyed this, look into Horse Museum, another posthumous release that uses Geisel's sketches to explain art history. It’s a completely different vibe but equally fascinating for those interested in his creative process.