Wantagh joins in on ‘Read Across America’

About 50 children took part in the fourth annual “Read Across America” event on Feb. 29 at the Wantagh Public Library. In celebration of Dr. Seuss’s birthday, the children had fun participating in nine different themed activities and two reading sessions, led by the Wantagh Retired Teachers United.

“This week is truly a celebration of Dr. Seuss’s birthday and it’s a national incentive to get kids to appreciate reading,” children’s librarian Susan Finck said. “Each year, this seems to grow a little bit more, and this year, we have activities that are based on Dr. Seuss.”

Volunteers Libby Segerdahl, Jeanne Bonnici and Leona Rutkowski, retired teachers from Wantagh, had fun reading Dr. Seuss books to groups of 20 children or more.

“Throughout the entire month of March, we will have Dr. Seuss coloring sheets and activity packets for everyone,” said Finck who was dressed as a Star-Bellied Sneech. “Just seeing them discover Dr. Seuss is exciting. They are usually familiar with the author at a very young age and it’s something they can connect to and something they can associate with fun.”

The staff decorated the library in crazy colors for the event and had activities such as a “Cat in the Hat” beanbag toss and a “Fox in Socks” craft.

“We have more activities in the room then we used too,” Finck said. “When it was more just reading, we found that the kids would come in early or be waiting around. The activities can actually keep them occupied in between stories.”

Cassie Trainor, a Wantagh mom, brought her 1-year-old daughter, Caroline, to the event to help introduce her to Dr. Seuss and participate in the fun.

“My husband and I are former students of Wantagh and we were excited to hear that teachers were coming back to read to the kids,” Trainor said. “Dr. Seuss is just one of those wonderful authors that you can instill such a love of rhyme and reading.”