Three-year-old Maceo Morris didn’t have to wait for Dr. Seuss’s birthday to come around again. He got to hear several books by the famous children’s author read aloud at the Main Branch of the Jersey City Library on Oct. 6, thanks to Councilwoman Diane Coleman.
Normally, the public reading of Dr. Seuss takes place around the author’s birthday at the beginning of March as an annual Read Across America.
“I love Dr. Seuss,” Coleman said, as she became the featured reader at the library’s twice-a-year reading event. Each fall and spring the library, through the Vincenzo Domenico Bonetti II Children’s Room at the Main Library and all nine branches, conducts special story hours for preschool children and their parents or caretakers.
Kids not only get to hear stories read to them, but they also get to sing along with popular children’s songs, and even dance. In-between storytelling, kids get to sing along to songs like “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” or “Shake Your Sillies Out.”
“Every time they have something here and I can make it, I bring him.” – Anthony Morris
____________
“I read with at least one eye open,” she said, and then later read from the book that suggested children might miss something important if they don’t.
Theodor Seuss Geisel was a writer, poet and cartoonist, but is best known for his children’s books, which he wrote and illustrated under the name Dr. Seuss.
About 40 kids attended the late morning session, a number of them from the nearby International Learning Center pre-school. Seated on wooden chairs in a semi-circle around Coleman, parents and caregivers took part as well.
Anthony Morris, whose son Maceo (named after the jazz great Maceo Parker) said he comes to the library as often as he can.
“Every time they have something here and I can make it, I bring him,” Anthony said.
Maceo is a student at the International Learning Center, but Anthony said they also come on their own.
“He loves Dr. Seuss,” Anthony said. “He talks about him all the time.”
He loves books more than toys
Maceo, although still too young to read on his own, is fascinated with books.
“When we take him to a store, he doesn’t go to the toys, he goes to the books,” Anthony said. “He likes looking through them. He’s fascinated with them, the color, and likes turning the pages.”
One-year-old Henry also seemed fascinated with the reading. A big boy who looks much older than he actually is, Henry stared at Coleman, taking in each tale as she read. He didn’t sing a lot, but he moved when the other kids got up to dance and sing.
Maryann Finley, his nanny, said this Henry’s third time coming to a library event. He is too young for the pre-school, but very alert for his age.
“His mother wants him to come to these events,” Finley said.
She also brings Henry to other children’s events that are held in the downtown area.
The crowd included other nannies, and a number of fathers, although most of those who attended with their kids were mothers urging their kids to take part in the interactive portion, such as singing the song about knowing their alphabet.
Coleman also encouraged the kids to move before the reading to get the “giggles and wiggles” out before she got down to serious reading – although with Seuss serious is a relative term, and kids giggled throughout the stories Coleman read.
Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com.