A party honoring Dr. Seuss rounded out Read Across America Week at Greenwood-Leflore Public Library.
Read Across America is a week of Dr. Seuss-related and literacy-themed events held in honor of the March 2 birthday of Theodore “Dr. Seuss” Giesel, known for classics such as “The Cat in the Hat” and “Green Eggs and Ham.”
Blinn Sheffield, a former children’s librarian at the library, who currently serves as its acquisitions librarian, explained the yearly event as a way to spark children’s growth.
“It’s an event that encourages children to read, and when they read, they learn and open up their imaginations to future possibilities,” he said.
More than 20 children showed up for the library’s activities, which included Sheffield reading “10 Apples Up On Top” and “Green Eggs and Ham.” After story time, the children made “Cat in the Hat” masks and were rewarded for their efforts with themed “Cat in the Hat” red-and-white cupcakes.
“I think making reading fun and relatable to children really helps cement their love of reading,” said Mackenzie Traylor, the library’s processing librarian and chair of the birthday party.
Emma Kate Nichols, 7, stopped on her way into the party to say she was excited “because it’s his birthday!” Her favorite Seuss book, she said, is “Oh, the Places You’ll Go.”
Schools in Greenwood and Leflore County also have been celebrating Read Across America Week with daily themes.
At Davis Elementary School, students participated Monday in an “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” theme, where each was encouraged to wear a college T-shirt. Tuesday was Thing One and Thing Two or dress like a twin day. On Wednesday, students were encouraged to wear their favorite socks and were read “Fox in Socks.”
They wore their favorite hats and heard “The Cat in the Hat” for Thursday’s celebration, and wore green for a “Green Eggs and Ham” theme, rounded out with a presentation of the book by teachers on Friday.
Threadgill Elementary School celebrated similarly, but Thursday’s green day was themed after the Grinch.
Sheffield described the Seuss theme as significant because Seuss books are often some of the first books children read that really spark their imagination.
He tied these sparks to bigger opportunities. “When children see different people who have influenced the world, and different places, it encourages them to think outside of the box and do good things for their communities,” he said.
“Dr. Seuss was such a big figure in children’s literature. ... Even though in some of his works he had offensive things — he had his flaws — I don’t think that should affect our perception of him as a model for children to read,” Sheffield said.
Contact Katherine Parker at 662-581-7239 or kparker@-gwcommonwealth.com.
