15 Years of Celebrating Seuss
You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild,
To pick up a book and read with a child.
You’re never too busy, too cool, or too hot,
To pick up a book and share what you’ve got.
In schools and communities,
Let’s gather round,
Let’s pick up a book,
Let’s pass it around.
There are kids all around you,
Kids who will need
Someone to hug,
Someone to read.
Come join us March 2nd
Your own special way
And make this America’s
Read to Kids Day!
– Read Across America poem from the NEA
Scour the book shelves… this Friday, March 2nd, is the day that Theodor Seuss Geisel was born in 1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts. Dr. Seuss forever changed the approach of teaching kids to read with his zany illustrations and rhyming, repetitive stories. In 1997, the National Education Association created a day to celebrate the beloved author’s birthday and Read Across America was born. Schools all over the country (and even the world!) will serve green eggs & ham for lunch, hold Seuss marathons and pep rallies, and host guest readers throughout the day.
Huntsville is celebrating in a very special way this year thanks to Mayor Tommy Battle and First Book of North Alabama. More than 18,000 brand-new books will be distributed in the city’s ten Title 1 elementary schools in 2012, and the Mayor himself will read Green Eggs and Ham to about 500 excited students at University Place Elementary’s reading rally on Friday. Mayor Battle’s Book Club & FBNA have made it possible for some children to own their first – and some, their only – book. “Access to books is essential to reading development,” said Mecca Musick, Co-Chair of First Book-North Alabama. “By providing children with books they can take home and keep, [we’re] addressing one of the most important factors affecting literacy.”
So how can YOU get in on the Read Across America action? We’ve done all the work for you…
Head to the Library
The Madison Public Library is having a sort of Seuss-A-Thon at 4:00 PM on Friday, March 2nd. The Main Library downtown will have activities ALL DAY (9-5) and is keeping a collection of Seuss titles in-house for parents and kids to read together in the library. (If you’ve ever tried to check out a Seuss book on March 2nd you can really appreciate this!) There are 10 other branches of the library that will be hosting Seuss events at various times this week as well.
Read a Seuss book together. This one is non-negotiable. Here’s a list!
Whip up some green eggs & ham. Delicious!
Watch a story online. There’s a new one every day.
Make a Theodor Geisel sack puppet. You’ll be the talk of the town.
Participate with older kids in a local Seuss & Service project. Have a One Fish Two Fish food drive or Hats for Haiti fundraiser at school.
Color and play games with your favorite Seuss characters. Here are some great color sheets!
Donate a Seuss book to your favorite library. We make it easy.
Bake a birthday cake for the Dr. Eat it for dessert on Friday!
You’ve got three days to make this year’s Read Across America the best yet!
I hope you celebrate – in some way – the joy of reading with your family.
Advertisement
