I was so lucky last night to have a young reader at my crit group and thrilled to see her happy faces drawn on my YA manuscript. If you write kidlit of any sort, you know that's an extra-special connection. So, thank you, Lucy.
And that brings me to another reading moment of joy. Read Across America is celebrating today with a slew of Dr. Seuss activities in schools, libraries, homes. Is there anyone who hasn't experienced the joy of Seuss rhymes and satisfaction of his stories?
Dr. Seuss, aka Theodor Geisel, wrote the iconic The Cat in the Hat, following a 1954 report that suggested children were having trouble reading because books were boring. He incorporated words his publisher thought would be important for children to learn. He made it fun. He made it meaningful. He left a legacy of 44 books. Soooo. . .
Read to the kids
Read to yourself
Take a book right
Off of the shelf!
My daughter's class is doing a mini read-in today. She was so excited to bring her pillow pal and a few favorite books to share. I'm always excited when kids get happy over books :)
ReplyDeleteI remember reading this!!
ReplyDeleteIf I have kids, they'll have an impressive Dr Suess collection.
I love Dr. Seuss books! He's an amazing example.
ReplyDeleteMy Blog
Sherrie: That sounds like a very fun day for your daughter. Story time is so important for kids and adults.
ReplyDeleteJade: Yes! Every kid should have Dr. Seuss. What an astounding imagination he had.
Catherine: Agreed!
It's Seuss week at our daycare and we're having a blast.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the happy faces :)
Love Dr Seuss! :)
ReplyDeleteWe celebrated at my school by having guest readers visit the school (but no first families or anything).
ReplyDeleteOne kid thought an older gent was the real Dr. Seuss. I could have corrected him, but I think if Dr. Seuss was still around as a ghost, he'd probably be reading to kids, right?
Shelley
WordsCrafter: thanks :D, and so glad you had a day of fun, too.
ReplyDeleteJemi: He makes me smile again and again.
Shelley: What a great anecdote! Kids are so ready to believe, and why not?
The chemistry teacher at my school today dressed up as the Cat in the Hat and read Dr. Seuss to his classes. I think it was a welcome break from chem!
ReplyDeleteStephanie: Oh, that is so cool. The kids must have loved it. (I would have)
ReplyDeleteYay for Dr. Seuss.
ReplyDeleteI teach preschool (3s and 4s) and you wouldn't believe how well they listen to a large-group reading of any Dr. Seuss book. This week has been amazing (and is every year).
ReplyDeleteerica
When I was a little kid, I used to tell everyone my name was "Sam I am" because I thought that was a much cooler name than mine.
ReplyDeleteDonna: hip-hip!
ReplyDeleteerica&christy: What a test--keeping a group of preschoolers entranced. That's great to hear.
Wen: Ha! I love that story, and I can so see you do that.
Cat in the Hat, my absolute favorite of his books. My cousin and I were Thing One and Thing Two.
ReplyDeleteEvery day this week is a different dress-up theme in my daughter's 1st grade class. She's loving Dr. Seuss week. :-)
ReplyDeleteDr. Suess books will never get old!
ReplyDeleteI used to work in a library, and remember the Dr. Seuss time of the year fondly! They always did something special in my daughter's elementary school too. Always fun. Dr. Seuss left such a legacy!
ReplyDeleteLove Dr. Seuss! And nothing makes me happier than smiley faces on a manuscript. Congrats! :)
ReplyDeleteHah! I just threw a Dr.Seuss themed baby shower and Dr.Seuss was EVERYWHERE - and we had a quiz at the end for everyone to name Seuss titles and it was so much fun to see all my late 20 something friends shouting titles. We remembered almost all of his books :)
ReplyDeleteBish: I'm pretty partial to Cat in the Hat, too.
ReplyDeleteShannon: What fun! Now I want to dress up, too.
Liza: Never, never, never.
Sarah: :D :D :D
Tracy: Ooooo, what a great idea for a baby shower. Sounds like so much fun. Welcome to the fun, baby!
oops, Carolina, somehow you slipped by my eyes. I would feel so fulfilled if I touched as many children (and adults) as he did.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! It's fun to find another Seuss lover out there!
ReplyDeleteIshta: Hi and thank you! I loved your Seussical whimsy post.
ReplyDeleteDr. Seuss was way ahead of his time. What kid doesn't love Dr. Seuss books? I went to three different Dr. Seuss Week events, one at Feldheym Library and then two different elementary schools as a guest reader. If you haven't been a guest reader, keep that in mind for next year. It's such a kick to read to a classroom of kids. You can read excerpts from a novel, some poems, a picture book. It doesn't have to be a Seuss book, just whatever you want to read to pump the kids up about reading. It's super rewarding.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of a baby shower with a Dr. Seuss theme! My daughter is due the beginning of September. Maybe I'll steal your idea, Phoenix!
LynNerd (Lynn)
I thought of Dr. Seuss today as I found two old 37-cent postage stamps with his image and stuck them on a letter to my granddaughter. How lucky we are to have known him through his books that will give children the giggly-woos for years and years to come. Hooray for Dr. Seuss!
ReplyDeleteLynn: I love the idea of being a guest reader for kids. I'll have to look into that.
ReplyDeleteMaria: Giggly-woos! :D