The act of reading has been around for thousands of years, since the invention of the written word. In the earliest years, reading was a skill that only a wealthy, educated segment of society had. Over time, more and more people learned to read and write, and reading came to be the common skill that it is today.
Since the first book that was ever written, many authors have made their mark and been remembered for their remarkable work. One such author is Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known by his pen name, Dr. Seuss. He has authored some of the most popular children’s books of all time, selling over 600 million copies.
In addition to being an author, Dr. Seuss was also an illustrator and cartoonist. After publishing his first children’s book, he took a break to illustrate political cartoons and joined the animation and film department in the United States Army. In this role, he wrote, produced and animated several projects and gained recognition for them. Following this, he returned to writing children’s books and how! He went on to write 60 books, a majority of which were critically acclaimed. His work is not only enjoyed by children to this date; it is also a part of many different adaptations in other mediums.
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.
Read Across America Week was celebrated last week in Wayne County schools, with lots of Dr. Seuss-themed activities, and of course, lots of reading!
Mrs. Anna Carroll’s second grade class at Waynesboro Elementary, pictured above, showed off their “Cat in the Hat” drawings last week in honor of Dr. Seuss.
