More than 220 people attended “Dr. Seuss Birthday Party” on March 6 at Sturgis District Library.
Children gathered to hear readings of popular Seuss books by Madison Pueschel and Julia Johnson, and participated in games and contests.
Pueschel, special education teacher at Eastwood Elementary, read from “The Cat in the Hat” and “I Can Read With My Eyes Shut.” Johnson, soon-to-be graduate of Grand Valley State and aspiring educator, read from “Green Eggs and Ham” and “What Pet Should I Get?”
The library has held a Dr. Seuss party each year since 1994, to honor the birth anniversary of author and illustrator Theodor Geisel. The event coincides with the start of National Reading Month.
Geisel wrote and illustrated more than 60 books. He died in 1991 at age 87. At the time of his death 600 million copies of his books had been sold, translated into more than 20 languages. The first children’s book published under his pen name was “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,” in 1937. The final book published prior to his death was “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” in 1990.
Michelle Frost, children’s librarian, embraces the Seuss birthday party tradition.
“I love that we can celebrate him and his incredible contribution to children’s literature and childhood literacy,” Frost said. “Children still enjoy Seuss’s stories, his whimsical characters and the sometimes tongue-twisting rhymes he uses throughout his books. I believe Seuss’s legacy lives on from generation to generation because his stories are engaging and put ‘fun’ into reading.”
Upcoming events at Sturgis District Library:
“Medicare 101,” 5:30 p.m., March 31.
“Picking with the Champ: An Educational Morel Hunting Seminar,” 6 p.m. April 20.
Admission to each is free, with no registration required. For additional details, call 269-659-7224.
