National Read Across America Week Kicks Off March 2

By Cara Beth Smith

Read Across America Week kicks off on the birthday of the beloved author, Dr. Seuss, each year – March 2nd. To promote reading in honor of Read Across America Week, many schools, workplaces, and other organizations host events and special activities to celebrate and to promote reading.

The history of reading goes way back. In the earliest years of reading, only rich and prominent people had the privilege of learning to read. In America today, where free public education is readily available, reading is a much more common practice. But it is important that we remember that still, to this day, it is a privilege and a blessing to have the ability to read and the resources that help us learn to read.

Theodor Seuss Geisel, more commonly known as Dr. Seuss, was not only an author, but also a cartoonist and an illustrator. He is most well-known for his role as a children’s book author, but he also worked in the animation and film department of the US army, illustrating political cartoons.

“The National Education Association launched Read Across America in 1998 as a year-round program to celebrate reading. Given Dr. Seuss’ impact on the reading world, his birthday (March 2) was declared Read Across America Day. This also commences Read Across America Week and Read Across America Month,” according to nationaltoday.com.

(from nationaltoday.com)

Bladen County Library will hold a special storytime in honor of Read Across America Day on Thursday, March 2. The event will be a birthday party for Dr. Seuss! That evening at 5:30, the library is hosting Bladen Smart Start’s “Raising a Reader” event, with special guest Reading Host Larrell Murchison.

Bladen County Library Director Sheila Nance shared, “At the library we are super excited about Read Across America Week. Our primary goal is to inspire a love of reading in our youngest patrons. Dr. Seuss, with his fun rhymes and made-up words, made reading fun for several decades. Children, parents, and grandparents can bond over shared favorites such as The Cat in the Hat, or Green Eggs and Ham. Who doesn’t love Dr. Seuss!?”

Facts About Reading: (weareteachers.com)

Learning to read is closely tied to talking and listening.

Reading reduces stress by 68% (reading-stress-relief)

If you read just 20 minutes per day, that adds up to approximately 1,800,000 words per year.

Children who read one million words per year are in the top 2% of reading achievement.

By reading one book per day to your child, they will have read 1825 books by the time they are five years old.

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” Dr. Seuss

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