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“You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read with a child.”
Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss. I’ve always felt him to be a personal friend. Green Eggs and Ham was the first book I ever read, well recite. I probably could recite it before I could read it.
Oh, the Places You’ll Go when you read! March 2, 2015 is NEA’s Read Across America Day and this year, the book is the Seuss classic, Oh, The Places You’ll Go.
NEA’s Read Across America is an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on March 2, the birthday of beloved children’s author Dr. Seuss.
A Look At Our Friend Dr. Seuss
Brilliant, playful, and always respectful of children, Dr. Seuss charmed his way into the consciousness of four generations of youngsters and parents. In the process, he helped millions of children learn to read.
Dr. Seuss was born Theodor Seuss Geisel in Springfield, Massachusetts, on March 2, 1904. After graduating from Dartmouth College in 1925, he went to Oxford University, intending to acquire a doctorate in literature. At Oxford, Geisel met Helen Palmer, whom he wed in 1927. Upon his return to America later that year, Geisel published cartoons and humorous articles for Judge, the leading humor magazine in America at the time. His cartoons also appeared in major magazines such as Life, Vanity Fair, and Liberty. Geisel gained national exposure when he won an advertising contract for an insecticide called Flit. He coined the phrase, “Quick, Henry, the Flit!” which became a popular expression.
Geisel developed the idea for his first children’s book in 1936 while on a vacation cruise. The rhythm of the ship’s engine drove the cadence to And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street.
During World War II, Geisel joined the Army and was sent to Hollywood where he wrote documentaries for the military. During this time, he also created a cartoon called Gerald McBoing-Boing which won him an Oscar.
The Cat in the Hat Is Born
In May of 1954, Life published a report on illiteracy among schoolchildren, suggesting that children were having trouble reading because their books were boring. This problem inspired Geisel’s publisher, prompting him to send Geisel a list of 400 words he felt were important for children to learn. The publisher asked Geisel to cut the list to 250 words and use them to write an entertaining children’s book. Nine months later, Geisel, using 225 of the words given to him, published The Cat in the Hat, which brought instant success.
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1984 and three Academy Awards, Geisel authored and illustrated 44 children’s books. His enchanting stories are available as audio cassettes, animated television specials, and videos.
While Theodor Geisel died on September 24, 1991, Dr. Seuss lives on, inspiring generations of children of all ages to explore the joys of reading.
(Courtesy of Random House)
Oh,The Places We’ve Been
We do a whole lot of global reading around here as well as take some incredible reading adventures. To celebrate one of our favorite authors today we’re reading around the world and sharing all the places we’ve been. Here are some of our most popular book reviews and book jumps that have taken us all over the world.
If you’re a school librarian looking to hire an author or illustrator to present to your students (hint, hint) Target is accepting applications for Early Childhood Reading Grants.
I’m busily putting together a world tour. I’ll be barnstorming across New York State and Pennsylvania—maybe winding up in Connecticut—September/October 2014.
I’ll be in the Pittsburgh area for Read Across America Week, March 2 – 6, 2015.
If I’m booked for 2 or more consecutive days in the same area, I’ll give those schools a discount on my speaking fee. If you’re interested e-mail Lisa at [email protected].
0 Comments on Target offers grants for reading programs! as of 3/20/2014 12:19:00 PM
Chandler Arnold, First Book’s executive vice-president, with a student from Belmont Runyon Elementary school in Newark, NJ, at a ‘Read Across America’ event last year.
Read Across America Day is fast approaching; on March 1, children across the country will celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday by reading ‘The Cat in the Hat’ and other childhood favorites.
But, as much as we love Dr. Seuss, the READING part is the important bit. At First Book, we will always line up for cake and ice cream, but books and reading come first. Because kids who read at home become stronger, more capable readers, and that’s the critical ingredient in become successful — in school and in life.
If you work with kids from low-income families, sign your program or classroom up with First Book. We can help you get new, high-quality books, including (naturally) ‘The Cat in the Hat’ and other Dr. Seuss favorites.
First Book was part of all kinds of great events across the country for Read Across America Day on Friday, including a tremendous partnership in the city of Newark. Working with some great local nonprofits, we were able to provide almost 17,000 brand-new books — including plenty of Dr. Seuss titles, since Read Across America Day is Dr. Seuss’s birthday — to students at eight Title I public schools in Newark.
We got to meet lots of amazing kids at Belmont-Runyon Elementary, along with some of the educators and public servants that do so much and put so much of themselves into their work.
“I’m just so happy that our kids in Newark are getting thousands of books,” said Mayor Cory Booker. “Not put in libraries or in schools, but actually put in their hands for them to own.”
As always, the best part was seeing the looks on the children’s faces when they were given new books of their own to keep. You might think it was just the excitement any child feels when they’re being given shiny new things, but almost every one of those kids sat down to open their new Dr. Seuss books and start reading them — right there on the floor.
Most kids from low-income families have no books of their own at home. A new book is more than just a novelty for kids like the ones at Belmont-Runyon Elementary; it’s a rare treasure. To see how eager they are to read, you only need to hand them a book.
“The kids love getting these books, they’re really excited about it,” said Lois Myers, librarian at Belmont-Runyon Elementary. “They say ‘We get to keep these books!?’”
First Book doesn’t haul a truckload of books up and dump them on the doorstep. We work carefully with local partners to ensure that the books are part of an ongoing effort to transform children’s lives and elevate the quality of their education.
The educators at the Newark schools selected quality titles that they knew their kids would respond to.
Community groups like New Jersey After 3 and the Foundation for Newark’s Future brought in authors to read to the children and coordinated a school-wide assembly to celebrate books and reading.
Anne Feeley, a generous donor (and Newark native) provided funding to help make everything possible through the Foundation for Newark’s Future’s “My Very Own Library” initiative.
Local leaders like Mayor Booker made time to spend the day with the children, to entertain them and to let them know they were important.
Volunteers and parents decorated the auditorium with a Dr. Seuss theme that would have put professional set designers to shame.
We were proud to be a part of an event like this, and happy to bring the books.
Just like we’d be proud to work with people and organizations anywhere who care about improving the lives of the most vulnerable children in their community. When we all work together, we make big things happen.
It’s a Seuss trifecta today, as we celebrate Dr. Seuss’ 108th birthday, kick off Read Across America, and The Lorax (one of my all-time favorite Seuss stories) opens on the big screen.
15 years ago, the National Education Association (NEA) created Read Across America to celebrate reading and provide inspiration for kids of all ages to discover the joys of reading. What better date than March 2nd, Dr. Seuss’ birthday, to bring kids and books together.
Every year Read Across America gives special emphasis to a classic Seuss title and 2012 is going green with The Lorax. First published in 1971, The Lorax quickly became a classic with an environmental message that was ahead of its time. Now, the original gets a modern twist with a fun new pop-up edition of the book and, of course, the blockbuster movie adaptation. At my house, we’ve been reading the book and I’m excited to take my daughter to see The Lorax movie, with its star-studded cast and larger-than-life animation--I'm particularly in love with the Truffula trees, fluffy and bright, just as I'd imagined from Dr. Seuss’ pages. I may even have to spring for 3-D...
And speaking of pages, let’s kick this thing off--grab your kid and a book, tip your hat to a tree, and settle on down to a grand reading spree. Remember, "You're never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read with a child."
Here are some of my favorite Dr. Seuss stories--which of his books do you love the most? --Seira
Happy Read Across America Day! And happy birthday to Dr. Suess!
I came across the Reader's Oath on the National Education Association's web site. It is meant to inspire children to become lifelong readers. But I think it works for adults too. Too many of my friends and family have abandoned reading for pleasure as grown ups. They say they're too busy, but how can you be too busy for books? The idea is terribly sad to me. I just might send them this oath and try to get them reading again.
Reader's Oath
I promise to read Each day and each night. I know it's the key To growing up right.
I'll read to myself, I'll read to a crowd. It makes no difference If silent or loud.
I'll read at my desk, At home and at school, On my bean bag or bed, By the fire or pool.
Each book that I read Puts smarts in my head, 'Cause brains grow more thoughts The more they are fed.
So I take this oath To make reading my way Of feeding my brain What it needs every day.
0 Comments on Read Across America Day as of 1/1/1900
Tomorrow, March 2, is Read Across America day (and this year’s featured book is “The Lorax” — he reads for the trees! The cast of the upcoming film recorded a PSA for the event, and Zac Efron will be on hand for the national... Read the rest of this post
I know, I know: if I was really being true to this most beloved and prolific author, I’d have written my opening in rhymed prose (maybe anapestic tetrameter?) and included at least 13 invented words.
NEA’S Read Across America is the largest reading event in the United States. Children participate in read-alouds, read-alongs and all sorts of reading marathon activities to honor, remember and celebrate Theodor Seuss Geisel. (Yes! You subtracted correctly! Were Dr. Seuss alive today he’d be 108!)
As NEA wrote in its tribute, Dr. Seuss “changed the landscape of children’s books with his controlled-vocabulary tales of antic cats, colorful meals and dozens of other zany tales.”
Really what he did was grow READERS, at a time in our history, 1954, when children were turning away from uninteresting primers, not to mention Dick, Jane and Sally.
Proud readers.
Happy readers. Smarter and affirmed readers. And because, as Richard Peck says, we write in the light of every book we read, writers are readers! Dr. Seuss grew WRITERS too.
Those are the exact words I shared Monday when I had the good fortune to visit Glenview, Illinois’ Henry Winkelman Elementary School to jumpstart the school’s Read Across America Week!
2 Comments on Oh, the Returns of the Day!, last added: 2/29/2012
One of my best memories is being read to by my second grade teacher "To Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street." I still write Seussicals in loving tribute.
After nearly ten years with my bachelorette car (an adorable two-door Cabrio convertible), we regrettably parted company when kid #1 began throwing up with every ride and kid #2 needed to be turned upside down to be hoisted over his sister and dropped into his rear-facing seat. So I have my 'Mommy' vehicle.
I am a very bad driver, and I always had a notion that in a smaller car, I was less likely to hit anything (even if more likely to be crushed on impact). Now I have a minivan -- but please humor me and call it a micro-minivan. It is a Mazda5. It is really not all that big, but it does handle the carpooling duties. (Though I must admit, it was always handy to be able to say, 'No, honey, you may not have Olivia over for a play date because, gosh, she won't fit in the car...') I have also hit two mailboxes this year and replaced my passenger mirror, yes, twice. In short, if you see a blue Mazda5 in the environs of Frederick, Maryland... you might want to change lanes.
As a consequence of this major life change, I find myself on the Mazda email list... and, strangely -- given that I am teaching author and parent of two little ones -- this is the only reason I know that Read Across America week is fast approaching. Brought to you by The Lorax... and Mazda.
I do have a deep appreciation for my Mazda, don't get me wrong. And I write for a soap opera. Clearly, I have nothing against commercialism. In fact, I think we writers and publishers would do well to embrace it whenever we can. Go, Mazda!
And Go, Scholastic, which is having a book fair at my daughter's school this week. I have been secretly shopping for myself from my kids' fliers all year long. (My daughter, who is afraid of everything -- most especially books with scary covers -- was quite traumatized by my recent purchase of a book called Deadly.) While I love supporting local booksellers and of course I patronize the library regularly, who can resist all those shiny new books? I can't.
My daughter brought just home a list of the books she wants, to which I have quietly added the books I think she will love if only she will open them. (How many Rainbow Magic books are there? Does anyone know? Now that my son is daily proclaiming that he is a fairy, I think we're ready to move on.)
The marketing people at Scholastic are geniuses! Yes, we have bought our fair share of cupcake recipe books and cute little erasers, but they are also getting great books into kids' homes -- and very affordably, I might add. Like Mazda, Scholastic also gives back to the schools, which earn many classroom books in return for purchases made. This is an awesome thing. And any author who's been fortunate enough to have a Scholastic Book Club book knows that the royalties can be prodigious.
Sadly, one of my daughter's schoolmates died this week after a long illness. When her teacher talked to the children about what they wanted to do in his memory, the verdict was unaminous -- at the book fair, they will buy books in Peter's memory. And every child who opens those books through all the years will be touched by Peter's life. God Bless them all. --Jeanne Marie
3 Comments on Brought to You By... Mazda, last added: 2/29/2012
It's just wonderful that the kids chose to do that, says something about the teacher and the classroom community too, doesn't it? And I love the connections you've made in this post, meandering through from the car/Mazda to Scholastic connection. Thank you for sharing a good story. And good luck with the new car!
Ahh the Rainbow magic books. More prolific than even the box car children (which really jumped the shark with the Vampire mystery a couple of years ago). I haven't checked the wikipedia article on them that i used to use to use as a children's librarian to track new titles that I'd need to order but I think we're pushing 150 now? Something like that? Now if we could just segway the girls into some Gail Carson Levine.
This week I had the distinct pleasure of visiting two schools in Washington Township, NJ, a charming little community in the northwest corner of the state. According to Wikipedia, Jean Shepherd, author of The Christmas Story, once lived here. I didn’t see any leg lamps in any windows or kids with tongues stuck to poles, so I can’t confirm that fact. But I can confirm that the kids of Port Colden Elementary and Brass Castle Elementary schools are a welcoming and inquisitive bunch, and about the best audience an author could imagine. It was Dr. Seuss’s birthday, otherwise known as Read Across America Day, and the kids were decked out in homemade shirts and hats celebrating the late, great master of Whos, and Yooks, and Sneeches, and Zooks. Too many people complain about how kids have no attention spans. Not so with this crew. They sat quietly and cross-legged in the Auditoria (or perhaps it was a Cafetorium?) and locked eyes with me as I gave a presentation on writing. I could see what they were thinking:
“Entertain us, old man. Tell us something we don’t know, because we are culturally refined and our intellects are not to be trifled with.”
I informed the young man (probably a junior blogger angling for an unprecedented scoop) that I can’t give out such spoilers, especially since the book doesn’t hit shelves for another six months. But I respect his guts and his willingness to get right to the point. To reward that, I am offering a teaser. The Only Ones ends like this:
…him.”
Intrigued?
4 Comments on School Visit: Thank You Washington Township!, last added: 3/6/2011
I love this! Awesome “T” too, Mr. Starmer. When can you visit Brooklyn and charm us with your tales?
Aaron said, on 3/4/2011 8:21:00 AM
Amelie? When did you learn to type? Quite eloquent. You can’t see the writing on the T. For the record, it says: “Trust Me. I’m a Doctor.” Which is a line I’ve used for my entire life. It was a generous gift from the fantastic teacher who set up the event.
Ruthie said, on 3/6/2011 6:25:00 AM
The children were inspired, you held their attention and they can be a rowdy crowd when they are not drawn in by the presenter. My class will be writing creative stories about the magic of Leprechaun’s beginning Monday and thanks to your presentation they are very excited to be authors. Thank you for sharing your love of writing and your earliest writings!
Aaron said, on 3/6/2011 7:06:00 AM
Thanks, Ruthie! It was a blast. I hope to come back some day. Drop on by the site and let me know how the Leprechaun tales turn out.
Today is the anniversary of Dr. Seuss' birthday--and Read Across America Day. How are you celebrating? Last year we made green eggs benedict. Tonight I think I'll made this green egg and ham frittata, from Eating Well magazine. My kids have been asking me to take them to the bookstore or library. I have been putting it off as I've been in the midst of a couple of freelance jobs but . . . given that today is Read Across America Day it would be a shame not to go, don't you think?
I'll be back later in the week to with some more Seussian goodness. Until then, please enjoy my other Dr. Seuss-related posts:
Today, March 2nd, would have been the 107th birthday of Theodore Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss). In his honor, the National Education Association has declared March 2nd Read Across America Day.
So much information about Dr. Seuss is scattered on the web. I thought it would be helpful to attempt to gather the best of them here. This is a work in progress. I'll be adding to the list in the months to come, and if you come across a relevant site/blog, please let me know and I'll include it.
Thank you for this. I did Toddler Story Time for 2 year olds today, and we celebrated Dr. Seuss's Birthday with a couple of the simpler stories: The Foot Book and In A People House, with a couple of other stories mixed in and some great Dr. Seuss based songs and rhymes I found and adapted by doing a keyword search: Dr. Seuss Songs Fingerplays. I would give you the exact sites, but no one site had exactly what I needed. We also did a simple Cat-in-the-Hat hat craft. I'll be checking out your links!
Children’s writing contest-winning stories available at free website and iTunes
March 2, 2011 – www.MrsP.com, the popular, award-winning children’s website, will participate in the National Education Association’s Read Across America campaign today by releasing videos of the winners of its 2010 writing contest for kids, and with an in-person appearance by website host Mrs. P (TV star Kathy Kinney) at one of the winners’ schools.
The two grand prize-winning stories of Mrs. P’s Be-A-Famous-Writer contest will be released on iTunes and can be downloaded for free. Mountain Dog, written by Briana Beebe, 8, from Colorado, and Lucky the Bamboo Chopper, by Bill Wang, 12, of Oregon, are bundled together with a total running time of 16:30. Last year, over 20,000 copies of the contest videos were downloaded in just the first day.
In addition, actress Kinney (best known as Mimi on The Drew Carey Show) will bring her quirky Mrs. P character to Rosemont Ridge Middle School in West Linn, OR today to read contest winner Wang’s entry at a special assembly. She will also present Wang with a bound and illustrated copy of his story. Briana Beebe, the winner of the other grand prize, will be one of the featured authors at her own school’s Read Across America program.
Read Across America is an annual event established by the NEA to honor children’s author Dr. Seuss.
0 Comments on MrsP.com Supports NEA Campaign with Free Videos by Kid Writers, School Visit as of 3/2/2011 8:10:00 AM
Today’s guest blogger is Anita Merina, the National Coordinator for ‘Read Across America’, a National Education Association initiative.
Every year on March 2nd educators, parents, grandparents, athletes, actors, politicians, and kids join together for Read Across America Day to celebrate reading. Now, if you’re thinking, “March 2nd . . . isn’t that someone’s birthday, too?” – you’re right. It’s also, not so coincidentally, the birthday of the beloved Dr. Seuss!
This year the National Education Association and First Book want to make sure your shelves are stocked with all of Dr. Seuss’ biggest hits for this spectacular day of reading. And to make getting ready easier than ever, we’ve provided four simple steps. All you have to do is follow them and you’ll be on your way to your best day of reading yet.
Register your school or program with First Book at www.firstbook.org/register. (If you are already registered, go to step two.)
Browse the First Book Marketplace at www.fbmarketplace.org. The Cat in the Hat? Green Eggs and Ham? Hop on Pop? The First Book Marketplace as all these books and more for around $3.00 a book.
Order by February 8th to make sure your books arrive in time for Read Across America day.
Read, rhyme and smile with your students as they dive into the pages of those classic Dr. Seuss books!
That’s it! See, it’s as easy as getting your straight A students to turn in their homework on time, and a little more fun too.
On March 2, Theodore Geisel's birthday continued to be celebrated across the States with Read Across America Day activities.
Growing up, reading a book by Dr. Seuss added a sense of silliness to my day. As I grew older, I used his material to teach rhythm and meter in creative writing classes. And as a competitive speech coach, I'd suggest a few of his works to use in poetry or prose interpretation.
My favorite is Thidwick, the Big-Hearted Moose. Something about the moose and his antler-nest of unwelcomed guests always makes me laugh. I'd read it to my kids when they were young, complete with different voices for each of the characters.
What is your favorite Dr. Seuss story? by LuAnn Schindler follow LuAnn on Twitter @luannschindler or check out her website http://luannschindler.com
2 Comments on What's Your Favorite Dr. Seuss Book?, last added: 3/6/2010
My favorites are The Cat in the Hat and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Dr. Seuss had such a wonderful gift for appealing to children. It's too bad we don't have anyone now to provide these types of stories for this generation of wee ones.
Talk about timeless–how about this book from 1937? It’s Dr. Seuss’s first children’s book, and I thought I’d wrap up this week of celebrating his birthday with talking about one more of his classic books. And to Think that I Saw It on Mulberry Street is, of course, a fantastical version of an actual street from Ted Geisel’s childhood–Mulberry Street in Springfield, Massachusetts. I’m telling you, Dr. Seuss is one of those living-proof legends that wrote what he knew with great success!
So, if you’ve never read this classic Dr. Seuss tale, then here’s a quick summary: Marco’s dad always says to him, “Marco, keep your eyelids up and see what you can see.” So, Marco does, but he’s a bit frustrated because when he tells his dad the things that he has seen, his dad says, “Your eyesight’s much too keen. Stop telling outlandish tales.” So, what kind of outlandish things does Marco see on Mulberry Street? Well, there’s the zebra pulling a wagon–actually a chariot; and oh wait–it’s not a chariot with a zebra, it’s an elephant pulling a big brass band. Marco’s imagination (or keen eyesight) continues to see this wagon pulled by an animal in all sorts of ways, and he just can’t wait to tell his dad until he gets right there with him–and Marco winds up telling him that he saw “a plain horse and wagon on Mulberry Street.”
Children today will love Marco’s imagination and keep turning the page to see what he comes up with next. They’ll also want to see what he reports to his father. Since teachers and parents are often complaining that children don’t spend enough time imagining any more because they are playing video games and watching movies and TV, And to Think that I Saw It on Mulberry Street is an important book to share with children and celebrate imagination.
After reading this book to students or your children, discuss with them what they could turn the wagon and horse into in their imaginations. Ask them to draw their versions and write a sentence about them. You could even do this activity in an art class with older students–especially if you want to study Dr. Seuss’s illustration style.
And next time you and your children (or students) are outside looking at a street, what can you imagine that you see on South Street or Main Street or Green Street? Create your own version of Dr. Seuss’s celebration of imagination And to Think I Saw it On Mulberry Street!
*Picture book for preschoolers through second graders, fantasy
*Young boy as main character
*Rating: Dr. Seuss is at his best in If I Ran the Zoo–from made-up creatures to fantastical places to those ever-clever rhymes.
Short, short summary: Gerald McGrew says that his local zoo is a “pretty good zoo.” But it just has the normal, old animals that all zoos have. So, if Gerald ran it. . .he would do things a little differently. For example, he would travel up past the North Pole in his Skeegle-mobile and bring back a family of “What-do-you-know!” He would hunt in the mountains of Zomba-ma-Tant and even brave the blistering sands of the Desert of Zind. People from all over, of course, will want to see these amazing animals at the McGrew Zoo. And as he points out at the end, Gerald would just make a few changes to the zoo. (BTW, did you know that Dr. Seuss’s father actually ran a zoo in Springfield, Massachusetts for thirty years? Write what you know, everyone. )
So, what do I do with this book?
1. If I Ran the Zoo is full of Dr. Seuss’s wonderful illustrations. You can do two activities with illustrations. You can read the descriptions of a creature to your students and ask them to draw what they imagine. You can also ask them to create an animal for McGrew’s Zoo, name it, and even write a description–depending on their age and ability levels.
2. Students can write their own versions of If I Ran the Zoo by writing about what they would do with a zoo, or they can also change the place: If I Ran the School or If I Ran a Pizza Parlor. If you have young students, you can do this as a shared writing activity with the repeating sentence: “If I ran the zoo, I would have a ____________________.” If you have older students, they can create their stories themselves.
3. Some of the places such as the North Pole, Africa, and North Dakota are real (of course). Other places, it is clear that Dr. Seuss made them up. Ask your students to give you a thumbs-up if the place you are reading about is a real place (with made-up creatures) or a made-up place. You can also make a list of both on chart paper in a T-table. This can also lead to a discussion of what makes If I Ran the Zoo a fantasy even though parts of it are real.
Guest Blogger Rachael Walker is the Outreach Consultant for Reading Rockets, a national multimedia initiative which aims to inform and inspire parents, teachers, childcare providers, and others who touch the life of a child by providing comprehensive, accessible information on how to teach kids to read and help those who struggle. Rachael began her career in children’s literacy at Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), has also served as a consultant to the NEA’s Read Across America campaign, and was most recently the Executive Director of Reach Out and Read of Metro DC.
Know what today is? Dr. Seuss’s birthday! March 2 is the day that Theodor Seuss Geisel was born in 1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts.
It’s also Read Across America Day, the National Education Association’s annual celebration for toddlers, teens and everyone in between to celebrate their literacy and language skills and the joys of reading.
Besides all the Seuss silliness, the thing that I really love about the day is that it is a day of reading for everyone. Though the National Education Association originated and sponsors the celebration, everyone is invited to be in the company of a child and a book.
Looking for some last minute ideas to celebrate the day?
Send a Read Across America e-card from Reading Rockets to your favorite readers and get them excited about this special day of reading
Today is Read Across America day, which means that children and adults will be reading together all across America.
In honor of Read Across America, children’s author Suzanne Lieurance would like to read one of her stories, Dad Didn’t Get It, aloud for you. Just click here to listen and read along with her!
0 Comments on Read Across America – Dad Didn’t Get It! as of 1/1/1900
Tomorrow is Dr. Seuss’s birthday, and children across the United States will be involved in Read Across America activities. But before I get into this, I want to announce the winner of the book giveaway contest I held on this blog last week. The winner is. . .Clara Gillow Clark. Thank you to everyone who left comments! I will be hosting another contest next week for a YA book as part of a WOW! blog tour, so stay tuned.
I love Read Across America day. When I taught remedial reading at David Barton Elementary School in Boonville, MO, we had a great celebration for Dr. Seuss. We all had these really cute t-shirts from NEA (and I swear to you that I am wearing mine as I type this post). Some teachers went a step farther and dressed up as Dr. Seuss’s characters such as the Cat in the Hat and Thing 1 and Thing 2–even making their own blue wigs out of blue Easter grass. (Some people are just so creative–it makes you sick! ) We read Dr. Seuss books to kids that day, talked about his funny rhymes, voted on our favorite books in our classrooms, did Dr. Seuss activity sheets, and just celebrated reading. What a great day and a great message–celebrate reading!
It might be too late at your school, in your classroom, or with your home school to plan a big event for tomorrow like this, but you can still celebrate Dr. Seuss’s day and reading with simple activities like taking more time than usual for silent reading, sharing a favorite Dr. Seuss book with your students or children (even if they’re high schoolers), asking students to write a poem or story in Dr. Seuss style with silly made-up words, watching a Dr. Seuss movie and comparing/contrasting it to the book, or even asking children to write about their favorite Dr. Seuss book and why.
The National Education Association has some free resources on their website to use tomorrow. You can find bookmarks, a Read Across America poem, posters, booklists, and even information for parents (if you click on “For Parents” in the sidebar). Here are some Dr. Seuss books to check out, and you can find activities for some of his books on my blog by clicking on his name in the category list on the right-hand side bar. It’s super easy–just look under PICTURE BOOKS and then click on DR. SEUSS!
Did you know tomorrow (Tuesday March 2nd) is Read Across America Day? So grab a book and read to a little person. I get to share some books with a whole group of 3rd graders tomorrow. I can't wait!
0 Comments on Read Across America Day as of 3/1/2010 6:12:00 AM
The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.
~Dr. Seuss
Mark your calendar for March 2nd! Why, you may ask? Well, at our home we will celebrate my daughter’s tenth birthday on that day. But other children across America will also be celebrating the birthday of beloved author, Dr. Seuss, as well as participating in ‘Read Across America’, sponsored by the National Education Association.
What is Read Across America?
In 1997, a small task force at NEA came up with the big idea to set aside one day to really celebrate reading and motivate children across the country to pick up a book and read. They wanted the whole event to be exciting and inspiring—and to promote a love of reading. The task force also decided that March 2nd, the birthday of Theodor Seuss Geisel (better known as Dr. Seuss) would be the perfect date. Thus, ‘Read Across America’ was born, and the first annual celebration was held on March 2, 1998.
According the NEA website, “Motivating children to read is an important factor in student achievement and creating lifelong successful readers. Research has shown that children who are motivated and spend more time reading do better in school.”
How does it work?
Although the NEA created and sponsors ‘Read Across America,’ teachers, parents, librarians, bookstore personnel, and other community volunteers at the local level organize and implement all kinds of exciting events to celebrate reading and get children involved in special literacy activities. There are many great ideas on the NEA/RAA website, as well as state educational association websites. The possibilities are endless.
Dr. Seuss (1904-1991)
What child doesn’t love a Dr. Seuss book? The rhythm and rhyme are delightful, and everyone has a favorite. My children enjoyed all the Dr. Seuss books, but they especially liked Green Eggs and Ham, Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You? and The Cat in the Hat. In fact, they can all recite most of Green Eggs and Ham from memory. Would you? Could you?
When we first began homeschooling, I quickly discovered that Dr. Seuss books were perfect for oral reading practice to enhance fluency. The children loved the nonsensical language, yet they were able to experience reading success because of the simple words, repetition and familiarity of ‘old friends’ they’d known for years. Beginning readers need to feel successful; it motivates them to keep learning. Plus, the stories written by Dr. Seuss are just plain fun, and everyone needs a good giggle or chuckle from time to time.
How Can You Be Involved in Read Across America?
There are events and activities scheduled all over the country—in large cities and small communities. Chances are, the local school system, your child’s teacher, or your neighborhood librarians have already planned some special things for March 2nd. Visit the NEA website or your state educational association to find some fabulous fun near you. Perhaps you may even decide to volunteer or help organize some events.
If you have preschool children or are a homeschooling parent, you can also plan some activities to do with your child at home. Although we advocate reading ALL year long, it is still fun to have a special day to do something just a little bit different.
A Few Simple Ideas:
-Read Green Eggs and Ham—then MAKE green eggs and ham. Add a
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We got to meet lots of amazing kids at 
“The kids love getting these books, they’re really excited about it,” said Lois Myers, librarian at Belmont-Runyon Elementary. “They say ‘We get to keep these books!?’”
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One of my best memories is being read to by my second grade teacher "To Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street." I still write Seussicals in loving tribute.
What a wonderful way to celebrate Read Across America! Lucky you, Esther.