Dr. Seuss’ stunning La Jolla home finds new owners — and book-lovers won’t be disappointed

The San Diego-area home where Dr. Seuss penned many of his famous children’s books has found new owners with ties to the literary world after the property went on the market for $10 million earlier this year.

The nearly 5,000-square-foot four-bedroom, four-bathroom La Jolla estate once owned by the famous author and his wife Audrey features stunning views of the coastline.

In a poetic twist, the home was purchased by Ralph and Jodi Bratch, who run the local children’s bookstore Bird Rock Bookshop. The store says it offers “a diverse selection of books for kids and kids at heart ranging from picture books to young adult favorites.”

Jodi, who moved to the area two years ago from Florida, said she couldn’t be more thrilled to preserve what she called “a time capsule,” according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

The couple promised minimal changes to the home, as both its observation tower and office were designated historic by the San Diego Historical Resources Board and can’t be altered through future renovations. 

The property — which sits on 1.51 acres and comes with a pool and pool house — sold for $9 million on May 9, under the asking price of $9.95 million. It was sold by the University of California San Diego (UCSD), which the home was donated to following its previous owners’ deaths.

Built in 1950 by famed architect Thomas Shepherd, the home was “was thoughtfully built around a pre-existing Spanish Revival observation tower dating back to 1923-24, created to showcase the site’s remarkable outlook,” according to the real estate team who handled the sale.

“This view is second to none,” a rep said. “To have the panoramic view… sweeping up the coastline… is nothing less than stunning.”

Renovated in 1995, the observation tower and office where the author wrotes dozens of his famous works remains unchanged from when he and his wife lived there.

Home to the late author for four decades, the house is where Dr. Suess wrote such legendary books as “The Lorax,” “The Cat in the Hat” and “Green Eggs and Ham.”

He wrote 42 of his 68 published works at the property, according to the list.

The author lived in the home until his death in 1991, and his wife passed away in 2018, after which the property was donated to the university. In 2022 UCSD put it up for sale — but none of the bids were accepted.

A spokesperson for UCSD told The Post the property “was a gift to the university by Audrey Geisel, and the sales proceeds will go to the Geisel Fund, which will be used to benefit the university as directed by the gift agreement.”

Last year, two lots that surround the home owned by UCSD fetched a total of $9 million.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters