Bobby Ray Elementary students, teachers and staff celebrated Dr. Seuss Day with unique decorations, outfits, signs and displays for their Read Across America parade Monday in the gym.

“The importance of Dr. Seuss Day and Read Across America is to celebrate and promote literacy,” said Bobby Ray librarian Sadie Newby. “Lots of preparations are made for the week. Teachers plan lessons around the event and create a book float for the parade. We also decorate the school in order to get the students excited. We also have the Scholastic Book Fair going on this week for students to buy books.”  

Read Across America Day, also known as Dr. Seuss Day, is a yearly observance inaugurated by the National Education Association. It is held on the school day that is nearest to March 2, Dr. Seuss’ birthday. 

Theodor Seuss Geisel was an American artist, book publisher, animator, poet, a political cartoonist as well as an author. He is best known for authoring over 60 children’s books.

 “I highly recommend introducing children to reading at an early age by starting to read to them when they are babies,” said Newby. “I also highly recommend signing babies up for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library so they can receive free books in the mail.” 

Visiting Magness Library often and attending summer reading programs at local schools is also a suggestion she shared.

The most checked out books at Bobby Ray Elementary library is the Dog Man series by Dav Pilkey, the creator of Captain Underpants. The books are about a hound for justice. He is a human with a dog head and some of the titles include: “Lord of the Fleas,” “Brawl of the Wild” and “For Whom the Ball Rolls.”

Another favorite book series at Bobby Ray is Pete the Cat by James Dean. There are currently over 60 Pete the Cat books with more being released every year.

Read Across America began in 1997 to encourage children to get excited about reading. Since 1998, Read Across America Day has been held annually.