Nevada Reading Week starts March 2 with Dr. Seuss Day, held each year on the birth date of Theodor Seuss Geisel, who wrote beloved books like "Cat in the Hat."

Schools and libraries across the state are holding special events designed to get kids excited about reading or listening to books read aloud.

Beth Phillips, professor of educational psychology and learning systems at Florida State University, said the silliness and laughter in books like “Green Eggs and Ham” serve an important purpose.

"We want children to look at books and be excited about them," Phillips explained. "And want to read them and want to reread them multiple times and to be deeply engaged with books."

Among Nevada fourth graders, 59% read at or above basic levels, according to assessments detailed in the 2024 Nation’s Report Card. The theme for Nevada Reading Week this year is "Book an Adventure," and a lot of organizations are getting in on the fun.

On March 4, the Alexander Library in North Las Vegas is hosting an event called "Seuss-a-Palooza." Barbershops around Las Vegas are also offering a free haircut to kids who read a book out loud at the salon as part of the city's “Read with my Barber” week.

Phillips noted rhymes coined by Dr. Seuss, like "Hop on Pop" or "Fox in Socks," get kids to make the connection between spoken words and print.

"The rhyming can be an access point for children to learn how to play with the sound structure of words," Phillips underscored. "Once you have that little light bulb go off, that you can map the sounds to corresponding letters, then you’re learning how to read."

Nevada Reading Week is a statewide initiative launched in 1987 and includes spirit dress-up days at school, live reading events and appearances by local authors.

Source: Public News Service