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The NEA launched the Read Across America program in 1997. The nationwide reading celebration takes place each year on March 2, the birthday of beloved children’s author Dr. Suess, who epitomizes a love of learning. Dr. Seuss’s use of rhyme makes his books an effective tool for teaching young children the basic skills they need to be successful.

Maybe your local library is having a Dr. Suess party to celebrate (mine is). But there’s lots of things you can do on your own, like take the Pledge to Participate or reading the Declaration of Reading Independence. For teachers and homeschoolers there’s an activity guide for the Cat in the Hat’s 50th Anniversary.

Bottom line? Get out your favorite Dr. Suess books and read. And while you’re at it, get a copy of the Green Eggs and Ham Cookbook and make up some Suess-inspired recipes. Don’t have the books, the NEA gives some ideas of recipes beyond green eggs and ham.

(Read more about the Green Eggs and Ham Cookbook at my previous post, Literary cookbooks make great gifts.)

The kids and I are participating in our library’s summer reading program, Get Lost in a Book. The program started today and goes until July 22. The kids are to read (or be read to) two hours per week. For the adults, we need to read five books. We’ve been provided with log books as well. (We’re also logging in our hours and books over at Scholastic’s Summer Reading Buzz.)

The kids will get weekly prizes and a free swim party at the rec center for meeting their reading goals. The adults get a travel coffee mug and a chance to win gift certificates and other prizes if we meet our goals.

Today’s book was Usborne’s Aesop’s Fables I would read the story aloud, then Nathan would finish up by reading the moral of the story (the last paragraph). Nathan said he enjoyed the story and thanked me afterwards. I’m not so sure how much Lucie enjoyed it, since she spent most our story (half) hour climbing up and down the coach, but she thanked me too.

Me? Well, I’m indulging in a little scifi, Anne McCaffrey’s Acorna: The Unicorn Girl. I haven’t decided yet if I like it or not since it’s a bit on the silly side, but I’m hoping it gets better.

Just want to give you a quick tour around A Readable Feast to explain what I’m trying to do here. First, you’ll notice below the ads on the left side, Nathan’s and Lucie’s lists of what they’re currently reading or being read to. (Or in Lucie’s case, carrying them around the house then taking them along in the car to look at.) On the right side are all the books I’ll be reviewing, taking recipes from, or recommending in some fashion in the upcoming weeks.

How do I pick the books? Well, there’s the plethora of books those nice publicists and publishers have been sending me once I emailed them about this blog. Yes, folks, blogging has perks - free books! I’m Miss Goody Two Shoes and feel obligated to review each and every one of them, which is why my personal blog, A Mama’s Rant, is turning into a book review site these days.

Then there’s the books I’m actively looking to write about, which I pick up at my local library. Here’s a shout out to Jan, Suzanne and all the fabulous librarians at the Carbon Valley Library, and to the Weld Library District’s website. Since my local library is a teeny 1,000 sq. feet, they don’t have the room to carry many of the books I want. Instead, I request a book online, and it arrives at my branch in a day or two. What service!

Then there’s the occasional Usborne Books. Yes, you can buy them on Amazon.com, at Borders, or occasionally through Scholastic Books. Instead, support your local Usborne consultant, often a mom or grandma in your own neighborhood, and buy them directly from her.

Finally, there’s the Leveled Library Committee at the Carbon Valley Academy. I’m the board liaison helping the teachers find grants and funding. In a nutshell, we’re building a leveled reading library for the K-3 graders to use in a group setting to improve their literacy skills per No Child Left Behind requirements. I’m sure one of Nathan’s and Lucie’s future first grade teachers will pass on some great book ideas.

So as you can see, I have many resources for books. Now off to the kitchen to chow down!