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Pike County Elementary School is a-buzz this week with activities that encourage the students to read and they are having a good time doing wacky-tacky things and are looking forward to a lunch of green eggs and ham.

“Oh, some of the students eagerly step out of their comfort zones and try the green eggs while others won’t give those ‘icky’ things a try,” Tracey Arnold, PCES principal, said laughing.

This week, students at PCES are celebrating Read Across America Day, March 2, which was Tuesday, the birthday of children’s author, Dr. Seuss.

One week each year, all across America, reading is celebrated and children are encouraged to read more.

“The better children read, the more they want to read and the more they will learn,” Arnold said.

“Children’s author, Dr. Seuss made reading fun for children with his funny, silly rhyming words.

They love to hear his stories, ‘Green Eggs and Ham,’ ‘The Cat in the Hat’ and all the others read to them, and they love to participate by anticipating the rhyming words.”

Arnold said it most important that children not only read words but comprehend what they read.

“It’s not enough to just say the words, children have to understand the words.”

When children began to understand what the words mean, then they will begin to foster a love of reading, Arnold said.

“Reading is important to all that we do. That is why we, as teachers and parents, need to and want to do all we can to encourage children to read.  In all subject areas, you have to be able to read.”

A favorite day of Dr. Seuss’ birthday celebration is wacky-tacky day.

“Our teachers especially enjoy wacky-tacky day because they can wear jeans,” Arnold said, laughing. “Anything to wear jeans.”

Read Across America Day, March 2, was established by the National Education Association in 1998.

Theodor Seuss Geisel, is one of the best-known authors in the world. He’s the man behind beloved classics like “Horton Hears a Who” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” among others. In 2015, the Washington Post reported 650 million copies of his books have been sold worldwide.