Plus Read Across America in Live Oak!
The Cat in the Hat was spotted at Del Mar, Green Acres, and Live Oak elementary schools in the Live Oak School District on March 2 and 3 to celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday and give away free books to kids.
On March 2, Pam Randall, former principal and volunteer for Free Books for Kids, visited Live Oak Elementary as the Cat in the Hat. The Cat read and performed Green Eggs and Ham with Principal Greg Stein before giving all first graders and their teachers a free Seuss book (65 books); as well as donating 35 to the library. Diana Susoy, the school librarian, made green eggs and ham for all first graders to sample!
First grade teacher Reba Patterson had this to say about the experience, “Our class really enjoyed our visit from The Cat in the Hat to celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday. The best part was the 10 tips she gave to become a better reader: Tip 1: Read! Tip 2: Read! Tip 3: Read! Tip 4: Read! Tip 5: Read! Tip 6: Read! Tip 7: Read! Tip 8: Read! Tip 9: Read! Tip 10: Read!
The students immediately took the Cat’s advice and read their gift books as soon as we returned to the classroom. Many thanks to everyone who contributed to such a memorable event!”
The celebration continued at Del Mar Elementary, where the Cat in the Hat visited all kindergarten and first grade classrooms and gave a free Seuss book to students and their teachers, before leaving 150 books for Del Mar’s Family Reading Night on Thursday March 3.
Finally, the Cat in the Hat read Green Eggs and Ham at Green Acre’s Pages and PJ’s event where students and their families were able to select four story times of 15 minutes each. In addition to the Cat in the Hat, storytellers included a fireman, two sheriffs, and Principal Lisa Dilles. Three hundred books were donated at this event for students and their families.
“Our Pages and PJ’s event builds family excitement about reading. It also strengthens the Green Acres community, as families laugh, share books, and enjoy milk and cookies together,” said Principal Lisa Dilles.
“Free Books for Kids is proud to be able to provide gently used books for students in Santa Cruz County. Providing a Live Oak School District with a “book flood” to coincide with Dr. Seuss’s birthday/ Read Across America Day was very satisfying. Students were truly thrilled to receive their very own Dr. Seuss book to take home, and celebrating together as a community exemplifies our mission of putting books in children’s hands while also keeping usable books from being pulped” said Pamela Randall, Santa Cruz County Coordinator for Free Books For Kids. “In total, we were able to give away over 600 books during the two day celebration!”
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Free Books for Kids is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit with the purpose of gleaning books headed for pulping, and repurposing them into children’s hands. As of February 2016, we’ve donated over 23,000 books. Volunteer Pamela Randall (aka The Cat in the Hat) is the coordinator of book collection and disbursement in Santa Cruz County and founding member Malcolm Kushner coordinates in the Sacramento area.
In Santa Cruz County Free Books for Kids donates books to schools, teachers, Boys and Girls Clubs, family resource centers, health centers and migrant camps. They can be contacted via their our Facebook or website (http://www.freebooksforkids.org/) for more information, to donate or to request books.