Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country | Founded 05-05-05

February 22, 2007 issue

Green Eggs and Ham Lives On in 10th Annual Read Across America

Story by Corinne Saunders

You might see remnants of the “Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss” cake if you go into Parkway Elementary School on Friday, March 2.

Theodore (“Ted”) Seuss Geisel—better known as Dr. Seuss—may not be around anymore, but the imaginary worlds he created in his children’s books still live in the hearts and minds of many adults and children worldwide.

Ten years ago, the National Education Association (NEA) planned a one-day celebration of Dr. Seuss’ birthday on March 2, and the event has since turned into the nation’s largest annual reading celebration, Read Across America.

“The entire purpose of the day is to get adults to read with children,” said Kathy Idol, president of the NCAE and a media specialist at Parkway Elementary School.

“We hope every adult will take time to read a book to a child that day,” Idol said.

Each school in the area plans its own activities, and it is not uncommon for balloons and Dr. Seuss bulletin boards to grace school hallways on and around March 2.

“Before the event, we spend a lot of time talking about Dr. Seuss and the deeper meaning behind some of his books,” Idol said.

“We’ve had a Dr. Seuss menu in the past, and sometimes classrooms serve green eggs and ham,” Idol said.

There will be a “Donuts for Dad, Muffins for Mom” program at 7:15 a.m. in the media center of Parkway Elementary, where parents come in and read to the kids, as well as enjoy free donuts and muffins.

Volunteers come to read to every classroom as part of Read Across America.

There will be 15 guest readers at Parkway Elementary and 25 guest readers at Hardin Park Elementary this year. Last year, several ASU football players came to read to the children at Parkway Elementary, among other volunteers, Idol said.

Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat is 50 years old this year, so Parkway Elementary will hold a The Cat in the Hat read aloud at 1:15 p.m. to celebrate.

One day a month at Parkway Elementary, students can wear hats to school for a $1 per person donation. The money collected goes to various charities; all funds collected from the hat day on March 2 will be donated to a literacy program.

The fun activities even extend beyond school hours. Students from any school can click to www.seusville.com and send a card to the Cat in the Hat. For each card received, Random House, which publishes Dr. Seuss books, will donate one book to First Books, an organization that gives new books to children from low-income families across the country, using donations from children’s book publishers, service donors and volunteers.

“[Read Across America] is a good opportunity to get [students] to realize reading is fun and books are a good way to spend their time,” Idol said.

To send a card to the Cat in the Hat, click to www.seussville.com. For more information about Read Across America, click to www.nea.org/readacross.