Each year, National Read Across America Day is celebrated on March 2nd, the birthday of Dr. Seuss. The annual event is part of Read Across America, an initiative on reading created by the National Education Association. Since the event is designed to encourage reading in children and is fostered through the schools, when March 2 lands on a weekend, as it is this year, the day is observed on the closest school day, which will be March 1.

This motivational and awareness day calls all children and youth in every community across the United States to celebrate reading. It encourages them to read where ever they are. Great ways to inspire reading in children include:

Keep books everywhere you spend time. Put them in the car, in every room of the house, and tuck them in backpacks and purses. Make them easily accessible.

Visit the library often. Knowing how to use the library and learning the benefits of a library fosters a love of reading as well as genuine respect for the services libraries provide.

Get caught reading. Children imitate what they see the adults around them do. Whether they see you read a magazine, newspaper, or novel, let them know reading is the cool thing to do.

Read to your children. No matter their age, reading aloud strengthens their vocabulary and language skills. It also opens up opportunities for discussion.

Have your children read to you, too. You never know what you might learn!