A sequel to How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss has been announced by the publisher.
Dr Seuss Enterprises and HarperCollins Children’s Books said How the Grinch Lost Christmas! will pick up a year after the events of the beloved original book, in which the grumpy creature’s heart grew three sizes as he came to love the festive season.
The original author, whose real name was Theodor Geisel and who died in 1991 at the age of 87, sold millions of copies of his book Grinch after it was published in 1957.
He also wrote popular books Horton Hears A Who! and The Cat in the Hat.
Susan Brandt, president and CEO of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, said the original Grinch tale is “one of the most beloved holiday books of all time,” and the publisher “loves” the sequel, which was written by Alastair Heim and illustrated by Arístides Ruiz.
Heim has also written the Dr. Seuss books If I Ran Your School and I Am The Cat In The Hat, while Ruiz has illustrated The Cat In The Hat Learning Library books.
We are delighted to announce the publication of ‘How The Grinch Lost Christmas!’ landing on September 5 of this year! The official sequel to the beloved and successful ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas!’ will surely bring joy to @DrSeuss fans everywhere! 🎄Pre-order: https://t.co/gvi2T0PPoN pic.twitter.com/UdPsyqhaZR
— HarperCollins Children’s Books (@HarperCollinsCh) February 24, 2023
Juliet Matthews, color editor at HarperCollins, said: “The original classic title is a perennial bestseller, so we’re delighted that the Grinchmas magic now continues with this sequel How the Grinch Lost Christmas!, where we find out what happened to the Grinch after he stole Christmas.
“This exciting new addition to the Dr. Seuss publishing canon will be the highlight of our seasoning offering in 2023.”
When the new book is published in September, readers will see the Grinch showcasing the Whos, who live in a town located on a speck of dust, who have come to love Christmas.
His plan to win Who-ville’s Christmas wreath by creating the biggest Christmas tree doesn’t go as planned and he threatens to leave the town behind until he is reminded why he must stay, according to the editor.
In the first book, and in the 2000 Christmas movie of the same name starring Jim Carrey, the Grinch tries to ruin Christmas by stealing the town’s food and presents.
However, with the help of a girl named Cindy-Lou Who and the singing of the Whos, he celebrates Christmas and realizes that it is all about family and neighbors.
How the Grinch Lost Christmas! will be published on September 5 by HarperCollins Children’s Books in the UK.