National Read Across America Day celebrates the work of Dr. Seuss

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

Monday was Dr. Seuss’s birthday.

One of his birthday parties was at Charles City Middle School.

Kids and parents were lined up to get inside as the Charles City Community Education Association celebrated National Read Across America Day, an initiative on reading created by the National Education Association.

Awaiting the kids were free books, coloring pages, crafts, face-painting, a magic act, snacks and other activities. They all also got the opportunity to meet and get a photo taken with the Cat in the Hat.

The education association gets a community grant every other year to cover expenses for the event, which has been held at the public library and at Lincoln Elementary in the past. CCMS was chosen this year because the building is open and more spread out.

The event is typically held on or around March 2, which is the birthday of Dr. Seuss, an American children’s author, political cartoonist, illustrator, poet, animator, screenwriter and filmmaker.

Also known by his given name of Theodore Seuss Geisel, his work includes many of the most popular children’s books of all time, selling over 600 million copies and being translated into more than 20 languages by the time of his death in 1991 at the age of 87.

Kids received a ticket when they came in Monday with a list of things they could do. As they participated in the various activities, they could mark that activity off their ticket.