Read across America Day

Green eggs and ham, Cindy Lou, just part of the make believe world penned by the great Dr. Seuss. Every year in March, schools far and wide have a week long reading celebration to honor his life.
News 25’s Toni Miles takes us to one local school, celebrating Read Across America Day, showing us why reading is cool.
Green eggs and ham topped the menu this fine sunny day. As these kindergarteners at River Oaks Elementary celebrated Read across America Day. River Oaks Elementary Teacher Ashley Adams said, “We have guest speakers come in to read to the kids and we do lots of reading activities.”
Emma and Kingston were just two kids in the crowd as Dr. Seuss books were read aloud. Like Cindy Lou, Emma’s big eyes filled with wonder, clinging to each word of the Grinch’s story along with the others. “He didn’t like Christmas, but at the end of the story he became nice. It’s not about presents because you have to be kind and nice to each other,” said Emma.
Miss Adams was cheerful in her Dr. Seuss hat, but it wasn’t just a story that she was reading. No, it was much more than that. “The kids really enjoy Dr. Seuss books and so he’s done so many literary works. They are memorable. They’re rhyme and repetition. Reading is so important no matter what job you do.”
Read across America Day is celebrated all week long and happens around Dr. Seuss’ birthday. It aims to promote literacy. If it had a plot line, it would be to get kids more excited about reading. “Kindergartners, they need lots of movement, lots of sound, just lots of fun things that come out of the book.”
Like the end of the story where the Grinch’s heart grows three times, these youngsters hung on each word, loving Dr. Seuss rhymes, walking away with a valuable lesson in life that reading is fun and filled with good times.