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April 30, 2020, New York, NY — As announced today by renowned astronaut Scott Kelly on NBC-TV’s Today show, Random House Children’s Books, together with Dr. Seuss Enterprises, launches their Oh, the Places You’ll Go! Virtual Graduation Celebration (#ohtheplaces2020), recognizing the Class of 2020 in light of nationwide cancellations of graduation ceremonies due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Complete with readings, graduation photo-sharing, inspirational words of wisdom, and more—all inspired by Dr. Seuss’s beloved book and perennial graduation gift, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!—everyone anywhere can join in the festivities and salute 2020’s graduates and celebrate the 30th anniversary of this iconic title.
While setting the record for the longest spaceflight by an American (340 days), astronaut Scott Kelly saw places that very few on Earth have, and he offers an inspirational perspective on our current situation and what this moment means for the class of 2020: “It is an honor to join the Oh, the Places You’ll Go! campaign to recognize graduates across the country, who are beginning their journey of discovery and achievement," says Kelly.
John Cena, globally beloved WWE superstar, children’s author, entertainer, and dedicated philanthropist, will kick off the virtual festivities on May 1 with a “commencement keynote” that includes a reading from Oh, the Places You’ll Go! and his own words of wisdom for graduates of all ages. Fans can tune in on Cena’s Twitter feed (@JohnCena) at noon EDT, and his reading will be available on Facebook, where additional readings and remarks will roll out throughout May. Participants will include some of our most honored educators and first responders, as well as celebrities, authors, and illustrators.
Post a photo to donate a book! Random House Children’s Books and Dr. Seuss Enterprises are calling for nationwide support of the Class of 2020 with a campaign encouraging people to post a photo in celebration of their 2020 graduate, or post their own graduation photo using #ohtheplaces2020, and tagging three friends to continue the chain. For the month of May, Random House Children’s Books and Dr. Seuss Enterprises will donate one book to First Book (up to 20,020!) for every in-feed post tagged with #ohtheplaces2020. First Book will distribute donations to classroom libraries in the fall in honor of the educators of the class of 2020 who would have been recognized at graduation ceremonies.
Collaborating with Penguin Random House Audio/Listening Library, the campaign will also feature inspirational quotes from the book on social media, read by audiobook narrator John Lithgow.
Coming this November, Random House Children’s Books will release a new Oh, the Places You’ll Go! Coloring Book for all ages, featuring designs and patterns based on the classic title and available for pre-order now.
Susan Brandt, President, Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P. says: “Oh, the Places You’ll Go! has always been special for graduates given its inspirational message. We’re proud that these words will still bring people together in celebration of graduates and educators of the class of 2020, albeit not physically. This year it is especially important for them to be reassured that they will overcome the ‘Bang-ups and Hang-ups’ of our current situation and push on to success.”
Mallory Loehr, SVP & Publisher, Random House Books for Young Readers Group, says: “It is an honor for us to come together as a community of readers to celebrate the class of 2020 and the educators who have supported them through the years—and what better way to do so than with one of the most beloved and inspirational graduation books of our time, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!”
For fun-filled activities for hosting graduation parties at home, such as creating your own graduation hat, diploma, and decorations, visit Seussville.com.
Additional promotion will continue in May on LinkedIn, where top business leaders and career experts will share their thoughts about Oh, the Places You’ll Go! and its inspiring message with new college graduates and others.
To round out the celebration, Dr. Seuss Enterprises will also offer a range of Oh, the Places You’ll Go! merchandise including:
About the book that started it all!
Upon its publication in 1990, Oh, the Places You’ll Go! was an immediate success, embraced enthusiastically for its wonderfully wise outlook on life and for encouraging the potential that lies within us all. This remarkable book has since sold over 15 million copies and become the quintessential gift for graduates of all ages.
In Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, Dr. Seuss stated his philosophy on life more completely than ever before—that despite the bumps we will encounter along the way, we all have it within ourselves to succeed. Dr. Seuss died in 1991, just one year after the book’s publication, leaving a legacy that continues to inspire generations of readers today.
After all, when stepping into the great unknown, who couldn’t use a little friendly guidance?
Theodor Seuss Geisel—aka Dr. Seuss—is one of the most beloved children’s book authors of all time. From The Cat in the Hat to Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, his iconic characters, stories, and art style have been a lasting influence on generations of children and adults. The books he wrote and illustrated under the name Dr. Seuss (and others that he wrote but did not illustrate, including some under the pseudonyms Theo. LeSieg and Rosetta Stone) have been translated into thirty languages. Hundreds of millions of copies have found their way into homes and hearts around the world. Dr. Seuss’s long list of awards includes three Caldecott Honors, the Pulitzer Prize, and eight honorary doctorates. Works based on his original stories have won three Oscars, three Emmys, three Grammys, and a Peabody.
John Cena is a beloved entertainer and dedicated philanthropist. He is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Elbow Grease, Elbow Grease vs. Motozilla, Get Out and Play, My Monster Truck Family, and the forthcoming Elbow Grease: Fast Friends. His films include Ferdinand and the Transformers spin-off Bumblebee. Inspired by Richard Scarry—one of his favorite children’s book creators—John has brought kids Elbow Grease, a story for young readers inspired by his experiences growing up with four brothers, and one that shares his inspiring personal credo: hustle, loyalty, and respect. Visit him at wwe.com/superstars/john-cena.
Scott Kelly is a former U.S. Navy fighter pilot, test pilot, and NASA astronaut. Kelly retired from the Navy at the rank of captain after twenty-five years of service. A veteran of four spaceflights, Kelly commanded the space shuttle Endeavour in 2007 and twice commanded the International Space Station. He has logged more than 520 days in space on four spaceflights and holds the records for total time in space and for single-mission endurance by a U.S. astronaut. Kelly spent 340 consecutive days in space, launching in March 2015 and returning home in March 2016. Kelly is the bestselling author of books for both adults and children, including Endurance: My Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery; Endurance, Young Readers Edition; the picture book My Journey to the Stars; and Infinite Wonder: An Astronaut’s Photographs from a Year in Space. He resides in Texas.
Random House Children’s Books is the world’s largest English-language children’s trade book publisher. Creating books for toddlers through young adult readers, in all formats from board books to activity books to picture books, novels, and nonfiction, the imprints of Random House Children’s Books bring together award-winning authors and illustrators, world-famous franchise characters, and multimillion-copy series. Random House is the longtime home of the beloved and bestselling Dr. Seuss books, which continue to make learning to read fun for millions of children everywhere. The company’s websites, rhcbooks.com and GetUnderlined.com, offer an array of activities, games, and educational resources for children, teens, parents, and educators. Random House Children’s Books is a division of Penguin Random House LLC.
Dr. Seuss Enterprises is a leading global children’s entertainment company focused on preserving and enhancing the quality and dignity of Dr. Seuss’s body of work, thereby ensuring that each generation will experience the stories, characters, life lessons, and genius of Dr. Seuss. The company was established in 1993 and is based in San Diego, California. Dr. Seuss Enterprises’ global endeavors complement Dr. Seuss’s iconic books and include films, TV shows, stage productions, exhibitions, digital media, licensed merchandise, and other strategic partnerships. Ted Geisel once said he never wanted to license his characters to anyone who would “round out the edges,” a guiding principle at Dr. Seuss Enterprises. For more information about Dr. Seuss, visit Seussville.com and follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
First Book: Founded in Washington, D.C., in 1992 as a 501(c)3 nonprofit social enterprise, First Book is a leader in the educational equity field. Over its 28-year history, First Book has distributed more than 200 million books and educational resources, with a value of more than $2.0 billion. First Book believes education offers children in need the best path out of poverty. First Book breaks down barriers to quality education by providing its network of more than 475,000 registered teachers, librarians, after-school program leaders, and others serving children in need with millions of free and affordable new, high-quality books, educational resources, and basic needs items through the award-winning First Book Marketplace nonprofit e-commerce site. The First Book Network comprises the largest and fastest-growing community of formal and informal educators serving children in need.
First Book also expands the breadth and depth of the education field through a family of social enterprises, including First Book Research & Insights, its proprietary research initiative, and the First Book Accelerator, which brings best-in-class research to the classroom via relevant, usable educator resources. First Book Impact Funds target support to areas of particular need, such as rural communities or increasing diversity in children’s books. For more information, visit firstbook.org or follow the latest news on Facebook and Twitter.
Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss—Publishing from Random House Books for Young Readers and Listening Library
OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO! | On sale 1/22/1990 | HC: 978-0-679-80527-4
¡Oh, cúan lejos llegarás! (Oh, the Places You’ll Go! Spanish Edition) | On sale 3/26/2019 | HC: 978-0-525-70733-2
OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO! LENTICULAR EDITION | On sale 1/7/2020 | HC: 978-0-593-11915-0
OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO! DELUXE EDITION | On sale 4/19/1993 | HC: 978-0-679-84736-6
OH, THE PLACES I’VE BEEN! JOURNAL | On sale 3/24/2015 | Non-Traditional: 978-0-553-52189-4
OH, BABY, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO! by Tish Rabe; Illustrated by Dr. Seuss | On sale 7/14/2015 | HC: 978-0-553-52057-6
OH, THE PLACES I’LL GO! BY ME, MYSELF | On sale 1/12/2016 | ISBN: 978-0-553-52058-3
OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO! The Read It! Write It! Collection | On sale 4/12/2016 | ISBN: 978-0-553-53872-4
SEUSS-ISMS! | On sale 1/6/2015 | HC: 978-0-553-50841-3
OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO! Audiobook Edition narrated by John Lithgow | Audio Download ISBN: 978-0-739-35034-8
Coming Soon and Available for Pre-Order!
OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO! Coloring Book | On sale 11/24/2020 | ISBN: 978-0-593-37240-1
MEDIA CONTACT
Dominique Cimina
dcimina@penguinrandomhouse.com
212-782-9314
