As Dr. Seuss becomes another year older, libraries around the country prepare to introduce kids into his whimsical world.
Read Across America, an annual event, celebrates the famed children’s author’s birthday on March 2. In its 18th year, Read Across America by the National Education Association, is centered around “Oh, the Places You’ll Go.” Colonie’s William K. Sandford Library, at 629 Albany Shaker Road, will celebrate with events both Sunday, March 1, and Monday, March 2.
“What we’re going to do both days is we have a little look and find, photo ops where they dress up like the Cat in the Hat. We have some games, and a reading corner,” said Youth Services Librarian Beth Bomba.
The event promotes literacy and reading among children, which began in 1998. Millions of kids, parents, libraries and schools participate annually, encouraging young children to pick up Dr. Seuss’s iconic stories, among other diverse books. The Education Association also sends out its Cat-A-Van as the date draws near, a reading tour that goes from state to state and lets kids meet the Cat in the Hat.
Locally, Colonie’s library, among dozens of district libraries, has been participating in the event for over a decade. Each time Dr. Seuss’s birthday rolls around, Bomba said the library begins to prepare with decorations and book displays. While some events carry over, like the look and find for Dr. Seuss characters, she said the library tries to mix things up.
Last year, the library included guessing games, where children try to guess the character from its silhouette, and a fishing game for the “One Fish Two Fish” theme of the year.
Like every Monday, kids can sign up to read Dr. Seuss books to Ruby and Glinda, two therapy dogs, to help the kids practice reading aloud. Bomba said the program is one of the most enjoyed by kids.
Also included in the activities is a space set aside for kids to read with parents, and a raffle. About 60 kids attend each year, said Bomba. She’s hopeful for a large attendance this year with the library being busy on weekends. The cold and cabin fever might be bringing more people in lately, she said, but either way, she is expecting that kids will have a good time.
“We like exposing them to some of Dr. Seuss’s books they would have read otherwise,” said Bomba. “I think that the younger, preschool aged kids really enjoy this. They have balloons and decorations that they see right away. It’s bright and colorful, and a fun day for everybody.”
For more information about Colonie’s events, contact the library at 458-9274, or go to colonielibrary.org. For information on Read Across America, go to www.nea.org.
