Read across America

Every March 2 for the last few years, libraries and schools around the US have celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday, in Read Across America, sponsored by the National Education Association. Some extend the celebration of books and reading for a full week. As a former librarian, I adore this!

I don't tell Dr. Seuss stories (copyright issues), but my puppet Trixie quoted a little from "Green eggs and ham" in our performances last week. I told Robert Munsch stories (I have his permission) and a few other book-based stories in three schools in Topeka. Big fun!

At two schools I was in the gym and at one in the library. When possible, that's my first choice of venue in a school, comfortably surrounded by books and not so echo-filled. At each of the three schools, I felt completely welcome. The teachers at the second school even invited me to a big lunch held in their library. The students at all three schools were attentive the whole time, even though I had a wide range of ages. It's a hoot when kids actually cheer after a particularly satisfying story--in the past, I've occasionally heard kids yell, "Bravo!" as if they were at the opera.

It has been a quiet winter. I'm so glad to be working more now. Did I mention how much I love telling stories?