Zanesville, OH- The annual event is a celebration of reading and a day to encourage children to start reading as a daily habit. This day is also the birthday of a famous author you may know.
“I believe it was 1997, the National Education Association got together a bunch of teachers, and said let’s celebrate Dr. Seuss, because his birthday is actually March 2nd. Then the next year, they made it happen. So, usually the events are just on Dr. Seuss’s birthday today,” Bishop Fenwick Librarian Robin Edwards, stated.
At Bishop Fenwick, they turned this day into a whole week of reading. Each day of the week had a different theme including a day at the park, reading to a furry friend, and glow in the dark. Thursday was dress down day where classes could wear something from a Dr. Seuss book, such as Oh, The Places You’ll Go. The school also has a very unique activity for the younger kids that Edwards told us about.
“Every morning, the 8th graders, actually 8th, 7th, and 6th graders, are going downstairs and reading with the younger kids in something we call DEAR time (drop everything and read). So, for twenty minutes at the beginning of the day, they just sit and read and plus they make a connection to the older kid. It’s just a great time.”
Friday is snack attack day where kids get to bring something to eat with them as they read. Fun fact about reading, if you read for 20 minutes a day, you would be exposed to 1.8 million words in a year. So, grab a book and celebrate National Read Across America Day.
