BATESVILLE — Batesville Primary School students are looking forward to celebrating Dr. Seuss’ (Theodor Seuss Geisel’s) 108th birthday March 2.

Mayor Rick Fledderman has even proclaimed it Read Across America Day “to encourage every citizen in Batesville to read a book and engage in literacy activities,” reports BPS principal Melissa Burton.

Since a variety of activities to promote the joy of reading are planned in K-3 classrooms throughout the week, they have been named The Herald-Tribune’s Classrooms of the Month for February. 

“Dr. Seuss is a well-known and well-loved children’s author,” points out Angie Weigel, Title I reading intervention specialist. “By incorporating Dr. Seuss into literature, we’re able to make it fun, and the kids are learning to read.”

On Wednesday, Feb. 29, she will accompany a group of third-graders  to WRBI’s radio station. The youngsters will read “I Wish that I had Duck Feet,” which was written under the author’s pen name of Theo LeSieg.

The book has a “nice little message” about being yourself, she adds.

Teacher Teri Fledderman says, “I’ve been surprised how the third-graders have jumped into this. We just finished a unit on poetry and now we’re talking about Dr. Seuss, focusing on his perseverance, writing, his imagination and his poetic style. Every child relates to him in some way.

“Friday is hat day for the third-graders and my class will also be asked to dress as a Dr. Seuss character if they wish.”

Some of her students revealed their favorite Dr. Seuss books. Anna Gerth likes “The King’s Stilts,” while Hannah Nunlist prefers “One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish.” Kyra Hall enjoys that book, as well as “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and “The Lorax.”

Matthew Ison, Andrew Wagner and R.J. Powell favor “Are You My Mother?”

What do the youngsters enjoy about reading? “It’s entertaining,” say Ison and Powell. Nunlist loves the rhymes. 

Gerth and Wagner believe people learn a lot from reading.

Hall notes, “Reading is important because reading is like an enchantment.”

Fledderman, whose favorite Dr. Seuss book is “Hooray for Diffendoofer Day,” announces, “Books are a way to experience the whole world without going anywhere.”

Weigel observes that the “zaniness of his stuff is just fun for kids, and who doesn’t love Dr. Seuss?” Her favorite book is “Daisy-Head Mayzie.”

Other activities planned at BPS include a reading pledge being shared on the Friday morning announcements. Fledderman also has five doctors coming into her classroom to read their favorite Dr. Seuss books.

In addition, school librarian Rachael Berkemeier has many activities planned for K-2 students.

Fledderman stresses, “You need to celebrate every opportunity to lure a child to different genres of reading.”

Diane Raver can be contacted at 812-934-4343, Ext. 114; or diane.raver@ batesvilleheraldtribune.com.