Read Across America Day brings the joy of books to life around LA County

It’s not everyday that California Attorney General Rob Bonta visits local schools, but Thursday was not just any normal day; it was Read Across America Day and the 4th grade students at Loyola Village Elementary School in Playa Del Rey were in for a treat.

They eagerly gathered in their library to hear Bonta read Tricia Elam Walker’s “Dream Street” in honor of the nationally recognized day, which strives to get students excited about books. The day was celebrated far and wide in regional elementary schools and child care centers as special guests swooped in to transport students to far away lands through reading aloud.

CA AG, Rob Bonta was a special guest to Loyola Village Elementary, Fine Performing Arts Magnet in Westchester on March 2 in honor of Read Across America Day. He read to a 4th grade class at in the library.(Photo by contributing photographer Chuck Bennett)

Over at Stanley Mosk Elementary School in Winnetka, LAUSD Board Member Nick Melvoin joined students in the school’s newly created reading garden and aptly read Kate Messner’s natured themed book “Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt.”

During this visit he also presented the school with a $100,000 check to support the development of more green spaces on campus. This grant is one of 25 investments totaling nearly $2 million that Melvoin’s office is awarding for greening projects across his Board district.

“It was great to be able to celebrate both Read Across America Day and the greening grant with the kids,” said Melvoin. “We chose a book about gardening to get everyone excited about the benefits of more green space on their campus.”

LAUSD Board Member Nick Melvoin reads to Mrs. Azizi’s TK kindergarten class at Stanley Mosk elementary school Thursday, March 2, 2023. Melvoin read aloud to the class as part of Read Across America Day. He also presented the school with a check for $100,000.00 for campus greening projects. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Theodor Geisel’s birthday was the initial kick-off day in 1998 for the NEA’s “Read Across America” day, and many activities still celebrate Dr. Seuss’ work — but the event is now independent of any one particular book, publisher or character. NEA has veered away from a specific focus on Dr. Seuss in recent years and toward a wider array of children’s authors.

However, many people choose to honor the day by reading Dr. Seuss books, which is exactly what Alina Moran, president & CEO of Dignity Health California Hospital Medical Center, did on Thursday. She paid a visit to preschool-aged children at the Hope Street Margolis Family Center in Downtown Los Angeles to immerse them in the fantastically imaginative and positively nonsensical world of Dr. Seuss.

The Early Childhood Center at the Hope Street Margolis Family Center in Los Angeles welcomed Alina Moran, President/CEO of Dignity Health – California Hospital Medical Center, on National Read Across America Day. Alina spent time reading Dr. Seuss books to the preschool-aged children to inspire children to read and expand their imagination. Photo: Rami Jandali, Dignity Health Southern California Communications

Meanwhile, at Manhattan Beach’s Meadows Elementary School, students got to “buddy up”  and read books of their choice for 30 minutes with a student in a different grade level.

Fifth grader Chloe Sparer reads to Sutton Stepanovich, 5, and Grace Hansen, 6, during the Read Across America buddy reading at Meadows Elementary School on Thursday, March 2, 2023.(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

And at Long Beach’s Los Altos Neighborhood Library, youngsters created crafts — they learned how to make slime — read stories and watched Dr. Seuss’ “The Lorax” on video.

Scarlett Kilroy, 7, learns how to make slime as part of Read Across America Day activities on Thursday, Mar. 2, 2023, at the Los Altos library branch in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)

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