Read Across America Day
Skipping, giggling, crafts, snacks, and books – that is how over 60 Cameron area children celebrated Read Across America Day on Saturday, March 2. The Library was a hubbub of excitement and creativity all centered around the books and characters of children’s author Mo Willems. The award-winning author has around 80 books that he has penned. Before becoming an author, Mo Willems worked as an illustrator and writer for Sesame Street where he garnered six Emmy Awards. According to Cameron Library’s Preschool Program Coordinator Miss Amy, they chose to celebrate Mo Willems because, “the books that he writes appeal to all ages and they are some of the first books that teach kids that reading is fun”.
The iconic characters of elephant, piggy, pigeon, duck, Leonardo, Knuffle Bunny, and more allowed for numerous activities. Parents As Teachers were there to assist children in making elephant or piggy masks and character puppets. There was even a matching game set up using scenes from various elephant, piggy, and pigeon books. In the Maker Space room there were stations set up where children could learn to draw elephant, piggy, or pigeon. Write their own bubble dialog and even make their own book.
A Mo Willems book was read aloud every 30 minutes. The reading time was a huge success. Children were held in rapt attention as the librarians and their assistants read the stories together, each taking a character. Before the RAA brunch was over children were breaking off individually and in small groups to read stories. Several times young volunteers read books to their younger counterparts.
Read Across America (RAA) has been celebrated in the US since 1988. It was the brain child of a small group of people at the National Education Association (NEA) who decided it would be fun to hold a type of reading “pep rally” to get people excited about reading. They chose March 2 because it was Dr. Seuss’ birthday and that seemed to be a fitting tribute for a holiday designed to get children interested in reading.
