 Geisel created the book in response to a debate in the United States about literacy in early childhood and the ineffectiveness of traditional primers such as those featuring Dick and Jane . Geisel was asked to write a more entertaining primer by William Spaulding , whom he had met during World War II and who was then director of the education division at Houghton Mifflin . However , because Geisel was already under contract with Random House , the two publishers agreed to a deal : Houghton Mifflin published the education edition , which was sold to schools , and Random House published the trade edition , which was sold in bookstores . 
