Read Across America

From my journal: March 3, 2003, Newbury Park, California

“Borrowing Robert’s red and white striped hat…will wear at school today. Have a stack of Dr. Seuss books ready…it’s ‘Read Across America’ Day…”

In 1997 The National Education Association came up with the idea of setting aside a day to celebrate the joys of reading. A year later the first National Read Across America Day was held in classrooms throughout the country and has been ever since. The day chosen for this event was March 2, Dr. Seuss’s birthday. Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, was as many people know, one of the best-selling children’s authors of all time! You may still have a few of his classics on your own bookshelves. I know I do!

There are so many ways to enjoy this day. At school, teachers often invite guest readers such as principals, parents, and community leaders to read to their classrooms. When teaching, I dedicated half the day to reading and related activities. I always had a few readers lined up and my students loved it! Who doesn’t like being read to? One school I worked at even had an evening event in which students and their parents showed up in their pjs, and teachers read to them in their classrooms. And to make it even more fun, homemade cookies and milk were served!

In honor of Dr. Seuss’s upcoming birthday, I’ve chosen 20 of his books to describe Seuss style! See how many you can guess from the rhyming lines. Good luck and have fun!

1.Marco takes in activities on busy Mulberry Street, then makes up a grand story to tell his dad when they meet.

2. King Bertram protects his kingdom each day, by hiring Cat Patrols to keep the Nizzards at bay.

3. Horton listens to a speck of dust at will, then finds out it’s a planet and home to Who-ville.

4. A mean creature dresses up as Santa Claus, then discovers he has a heart giving him a new cause.

5. Gerald McGrew visited caged animals one day, and said he’d replace them all if he had his way.

6. A young narrator imagines an alphabet of his very own, letters beyond Z represented by creatures previously unknown.

7. Horton is convinced by a sly bird named Mayzie, to sit on her egg because she is lazy.

8. Behind Mr. Sneelock’s store is an empty space, where Morris McGurk wants his circus to take place.

9. A cat in a hat brings Things One and Two to a house one rainy day, only to make a huge mess while the kids’ mom is away.

10. Unhappy about having a view of the kingdom from a stone, this turtle tells others to stack themselves up and be his throne.

11. Only in the fantastic land of Katroo, will the Birthday Bird throw a party for you!

12. A cat in a hat returns with little cats to help him think, how to get rid of a spreading ring that is turning everything pink.

13. Pestering a character to try green eggs and ham, he’s finally convinced by Sam-I-Am.

14. The Yooks and Zooks argue over which side to butter bread, leading to an arms race, weapon use, and impending dread.

15. A fox has a tongue twister contest with old Mr. Knox, posing this challenge while wearing blue socks.

16. A pan’s sizzle, a hippo’s grum, and a cow’s moo, these and other sounds Mr. Brown teaches you.

17. A cat in a hat shows a younger one, that reading is useful and can be fun.

18.  Caring for the environment is his main deed, he also speaks for trees and fights against greed.

19. Yeps on steps and the yottle in a bottle are two of many features, living in a house where a boy talks about strange creatures.

20. About life’s challenges, a favorite book of moms and dads, often given as a gift to students and to new grads.

Did you get each one?  If so, how fun!  But if any stumped you, here are the titles and years they were published, too!

1. And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street (1937)  2. The King’s Stilts (1939)  3. Horton Hears a Who! (1954)  4. How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1957)  5. If I Ran the Zoo (1950)  6. On Beyond Zebra (1955)  7. Horton Hatches the Egg (1940)  8. If I Ran the Circus (1956)  9. The Cat in The Hat (1957)  10. Yertle the Turtle (1958)  11. Happy Birthday to You! (1959) 12. The Cat in the Hat Comes Back! (1958)  13. Green Eggs and Ham (1960) 14. The Butter Battle Book (1984)  15. Fox in Socks (1965)  16. Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? (1970)  17. I Can Read With My Eyes Shut (1978)  18. The Lorax (1971)  19. There’s a Wocket in My Pocket (1974)  20. Oh, The Places You’ll Go! (1990).