There are places to go and people to see, something Dr. Seuss preached in his books, which were read by guests at schools around the country during “Read Across America,” a March 2 tribute to literacy on what would have been Seuss’ 106th birthday.
Sticky s’mores and silly stories were enjoyed in the library at Brittin Elementary on Tuesday as students sat around a tissue paper and cardboard campfire and listened to a guest reader who stopped by to support the nationwide initiative designed to promote reading.
Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Phillips visited a second-grade class in the jungle-themed library and read “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” by the famed children’s author. He started with his own fabricated campfire-like story, about how his grandfather became friends with a trout he found in a puddle in the middle of the road. Phillips told the children that the two became tight, and eventually the trout moved in with his grandfather. The fish later drowned in the same puddle, Phillips told the students.
Once Phillips ended his own story, he pulled out Seuss’ classic book and students scooted closer to the general, eager to see the colorful pictures and hear the story. He asked questions throughout the book and called on students to define various words in their own terms.
According to second-grade teacher Nancy Cintron, Phillips has taken several field trips with the class, an indicator to her that he is a proponent of good education.
“I think one of the things we have to do is we have to let kids see that reading is fun,” Cintron said. “The kids have really enjoyed the theme [this week].”
When students entered, the normally quiet library filled with the sounds of crickets and whispers of campfire stories. Army cots were filled with books of all shapes, colors and sizes and oversized tents occupied usually empty floor space reserved for readers to sit with books on their laps. Students had opportunities to sit in small wooden chairs and tell a “campfire story” to their peers while waiting for Phillips to arrive.
Sgt. Major Robert McRae also volunteered his time to read “The Butter Battle Book” by Seuss. He sat on the floor, surrounded by students who wanted to know more about the character who was taken out to the wall by his grandfather.
“I just got such a kick out of it last year and I couldn’t wait to do it again this year,” McRae said of reading to students. “With the state of the economy, I think education is key. It starts with our youth … it’s going to be important to our country in the future.”