His best-known characters characters are famous for their clothes . But the Cat in the Hat and the Fox in Socks have previous little in common with the stars another Dr Seuss tale . Indeed , the gang of naked sisters who star in The Seven Lady Godivas : The True Facts Concerning History ’ s Barest Family , are famous for wearing no clothes at all . Not the usual : Dr Seuss penned this saucy book in 1939 - but it never gained much popularity despite featuring pages of cartoon nudity . The famed author , whose birthday yesterday is now celebrated as a national reading festival , wrote and illustrated the failed exhibitionist tome in 1939 . But despite his efforts to 'draw the sexiest babes I could ' , it only sold 2,500 copies , and went out of print . As a recent feature in Mashable details , the book retells the English legend of Lady Godiva - who rode naked through the streets of Coventry to protest her husband 's unfair tax hikes . However , Seuss altered the story by multiplying the number of nudes by seven - and making sure they stayed that way at all times , rather than just to prove a point . In a foreword to the out-of-print tale , he wrote that he was correcting an inaccuracy in inserting six more naked women into the story - and that their nudity was a source of 'pride ' . Not quite : Dr Seuss is much better-known for other creations , such as the Cat in the Hat . Change of heart : Seuss , also known as Theodor Geisel , decided to stick to children 's books after The Seven Lady Godivas . Seuss , real name Theodor Geisel , wrote that he was in fact telling ' a beautiful story of love , honor and scientific achievement ' . Publishing the book was allegedly a condition for Random House , Seuss 's new publisher , when he jumped ship to them . However , it seems few agreed with his own high opinion of the bawdy tale . While 10,000 copies were printed , only 2,500 were ever bought . He later accepted that the book was no good . According to The Atlantic , he said : ' I attempted to draw the sexiest babes I could , but they came out looking absurd . After the experience he turned his back on the adult audience . His New York Times obituary records him once saying : ' I 'd rather write for kids . They 're more appreciative ; adults are obsolete children , and the hell with them . ' Before Dr Seuss decided that she should have six naked cartoon sisters , Lady Godiva was a well-known figure in English legend , whose story introduced Peeping Tom into the world . Godiva was a real historical figure who lived in the 11th-century city of Coventry , and was married to Earl Leofric of Mercia . According to folklore , she rode naked through the streets to free her people from her husband 's oppressive tax regime . Original : Lady Godiva was the legendary wife of an English earl , who rode naked through the streets of Coventry as a protest against an unfair tax on his people . She is pictured above in an 1898 oil painting by John Collier . Godiva had begged her husband to lift the onerous taxes time and again - but failed to persuade him . Eventually , he said he would only relent if she completed the implausible task of riding naked through the streets - which she agreed to . To preserve her modesty , she asked all the citizens of the town to clear the streets , shutter their windows and look away . According to the story , everybody complied except a tailor called Tom . But after stealing a glance , he was struck instantly blind . He , and people like him , were known forever afterwards as a Peeping Tom .
Seuss penned The seven Lady Godivas in 1939 - but it was a flop . Tome features Seven cartoon sisters who were committed nudists . Seuss said he tried to 'draw the sexiest babes I could ' for the book . Godivas tale was heavily adapted from English legend about a naked noble .