Read Across America was developed in 1997 by the National Education Association. Its purpose to motivate children to read and to celebrate reading. Statistics show that children who are motivated about reading and read more do better in school. Read Across America takes place on the closest school day to Dr. Seuss birthday which is on March 2nd. “Be awesome! Be a book Nut!” -Dr. Seuss
Check out: Dr. Seuss Snacks and Craft
Here are some facts about Dr. Seuss
- Dr. Seuss real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel.
- He was born on March 2, 1904, in Springfield Massachusetts.
- Dr. Seuss wasn’t really a doctor.
- Dr. Seuss used Dr. as part of his name because his father always wanted him to be a doctor.
- Dr. Seuss was an author, poet, screenwriter, illustrator, film producer, television producer, songwriter, animator, and visual artist.
- At the age of 18, Dr. Seuss went to Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.
- While he was at Dartmouth he was the editor in chief for their magazine Jack-o-Lantern. He later lost his position as editor for drinking alcohol in his dorm.
- After graduating Dartmouth Dr. Seuss moved to England and attended Oxford University. He left Oxford and moved back to the United States.
- Before writing children’s books Dr. Seuss wrote advertisements for General Electric, Standard Oil, NBC, and other companies.
- Dr. Seuss first book was And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street was published in 1937. The book was turned down 27 times by publishing companies.
- During World War II Dr. Seuss wrote war propaganda cartoons. He also made animated films for soldiers.
- Dr. Seuss is credited for the first person using the word Nerd. He used the word in his book If I Ran the Zoo in 1950.
- Did you know that Dr. Seuss didn’t interact well with children! His wife Audrey once said he was afraid of children.
- Dr. Seuss did not have any children of his own.
- Dr. Seuss once said that the character the Grinch is based on himself!
- The book Green Eggs and Ham only contains 50 different words. He wrote the book based on a bet. A publisher bet him that he couldn’t write a book using few words. Dr. Seuss won the bet!
- Dr. Seuss has written and illustrated 44 children’s books.
- His children’s books have been translated in over 15 languages.
- Dr. Seuss was given an honorary doctorate degree from Dartmouth College.
- He has won 2 Academy Awards, 2 Emmy Awards, A Peabody Award, and a Pulitzer Prize.
- Dr. Seuss died on September 24, 1991.
Dr. Seuss Quotes
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…”
“The more that you read. The more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
“There’s no limit to how much you’ll know, depending how far beyond zebra you go.”
“It’s not about what it is it’s about what it can become.”
“Only you can control your future.”
“Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try.”
“Think and wonder, wonder and think.”
“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than you.”
“You’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting,
So…get on your way!”
“I know, up on top you are seeing great sights, but down here at the bottom we, too should have rights.”
“You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers
Who soar to high heights.”
“Why fit in when you were born to stand put.”
“Don’t cry because it’s over, Smile because it happened.”
“It has often been said
there’s so much to be read,
You never can cram
all those words in your head.
So the writer who breeds
more words than he needs
is making a chore
for the reader who reads.
That’s why my belief is
the briefer the brief is,
the greater the sigh
of the reader’s relief is.
And that’s why your books
have such power and strength.
You publish with shorth!
(Shorth is better than length.)”