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Today is Read Across America!! Do you know what that means? Not only is it Dr. Seuss's birthday (all bow down!), it means that
"You're never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read to a child."

Random House and the National Education Association (NEA), (Oh Yeah- and I) urge you to participate in Read Across America today and read to a child. Today really shouldn't be any different than any other day, but it's a great way to celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday and make reading cool! The theme for Read Across America 2009 is "Reading is Cool!" So get chillin' and be a part of this year's fun celebration. The cool thing? You can do anything! You can plan a reading event, maybe include guest readers, compete in reading challenges, take part in breakfast read-ins and book drives, or you can simply just pick up a book and read with a child. Parents can pick up a book and read with their children. Older children can read to younger children. Local, city and county librarians can arrange special story hours. The list is endless.

Things you can do to celebrate Read Across America:

Visit NEA for Resources and Materials. Print out a bookmark, read the Read Across America Poem, take the Reader's Oath, and check out booklists.

Reading Rockets has a video interview with Mrs. Dr. Seuss and tons o' activities!

Apples4theteacher.com has a great page packed with Dr. Seuss Activities and Online Games.

Readwritethink.org has a great page of lesson plans and web links.

Pay a visit to Seussville.com- You won't be disappointed!

Let the nation know what you have planned for Reading Across America:
The National Education Association is hosting a section on the NEA website where you can pledge your RAA activities online. Visit NEA's pledge page and let the nation know what you plan to do to promote Read Across America.

One more suggestion for celebrating RAA: phone your thoughts on a favorite children's book into the Just One More Book listener hotline, +1-206-350-6487, so they can include your audio in an upcoming edition of their show!

Me? I vowed to read Oh, the Places You'll Go! (Classic Seuss) and Horton Hatches the Egg (Classic Seuss)! LOVE those books!

HAPPY READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY!

The Seuss, the Whole Seuss and Nothing But the Seuss: A Visual Biography of Theodor Seuss Geisel

Author: Charles D. Cohen
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers; 1 edition (February 24, 2004)
ISBN-10: 0375822488
ISBN-13: 978-0375822483

Since today is Dr. Seuss's birthday and we're all celebrating Read Across America, I thought I'd highlight The Seuss, the Whole Seuss, and Nothing But the Seuss. Isn't that one of the greatest titles ever? Today is a great day to find out a little bit more about one of America's greatest (perhaps, The Greatest!) children's authors of all time.

In this book, I loved checking out Geisel's earliest works, long before his first published children's book, and getting a glimpse of his college newspaper cartoons and advertising campaigns. To think that would begin a long and storied career. Cohen does a great job researching the possible meanings of Geisel's cartoons and stories, and we get a unique view of the artist known as Dr. Seuss. If you're looking for personal details and more of a detailed biography, this won't fill your fix, but this 'visual biography' "is really his story as told through his own words and pictures." It will show you the genius, humor, and greatness of the man who brought us The Cat in the Hat.

The reading level is targeted toward Young Adult and it's meant for an older crowd. I would recommend it, though, to anyone who grew up reading Dr. Seuss- that's everyone, isn't it? Even my three-year old loved looking at the pictures!

For the younger crowd, they might enjoy finding out more about Dr. Seuss by reading...
Ages 4-8:
Oh, the Places He Went: A Story About Dr. Seuss-Theodor Seuss Geisel (Carolrhoda Creative Minds Book)

Ages 9-12
Dr. Seuss: Young Author and Artist (Childhood of Famous Americans)

And stop by Seussville, to learn more about Geisel's early years, early career, later years, and legacy!

Nonfiction Monday takes place at various wonderful blogs throughout the Kidlitosphere! Today, you can check out the Roundup at Books Together.

To see the blog schedule for Nonfiction Monday, please visit Anastasia Suen's Picture Book of the Day.

Turns out, the city of Louisville is scrapping plans to use the iconic Dr. Seuss village and characters as part of its annual Christmas display after receiving a cease and desist letter from Dr. Seuss Enterprises. The city of Louisville had planned to use "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" as part of its theme for the annual Light Up Louisville holiday celebration, but of course, the "Who-ville" name and image, as well as the Grinch, are all copyrighted and cannot be used without permission.

The whole situation is very ironic, considering in Dr. Seuss' book, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, the Grinch and children learn that Christmas is not about material possessions. Christmas is not the number of gifts from Santa Claus. It is not the amount of food on the dining room table. It is the friendship and love for all, and the spirit of the Holiday season that should prevail.

Looks like no "Who-ville" in Louisville!

Read the news release from the Associated Press.

Have you visited the Seussville website lately? What a fun place! You can really get caught up playing The Grinch Grow Your Heart Game! Have fun!