By Jimmie Covington
Commercial Appeal
March 3, 2006
With her red-and-white cat hat and painted-on cat nose and whiskers, Shelby Elmore delighted kindergartners Thursday as she read the story of the cheerful and mischievous visitor to the home of two children on a rainy day.
"I know some good games we can play," said the Cat.
"I know some new tricks," said the Cat in the Hat. "A lot of new tricks.
"I will show them to you. Your mother will not mind, will not mind at all if I do."
Teachers had brought their kindergarten classes to the cafeteria at Horn Lake Elementary School for the reading, which was occurring on Dr. Seuss' 102nd birthday.
Seuss (Ted Geisel), who died in 1991, wrote "The Cat in the Hat" in 1957, and the book and other Seuss books that followed have become favorites of both children and parents.
Elmore and other members of the Student Mississippi Association of Educators chapter at the University of Mississippi at DeSoto Center in Southaven are visiting kindergarten classes across the county this week, giving readings and donating one book to each class. Appearances also were made at several schools in Tate County.
The reading activities are part of the National Education Association's Read Across America program.
Dr. Caroline Adams, assistant professor of education and adviser to the student educators group at Ole Miss at DeSoto Center, said the goal is to help children get excited about reading.
"That was kind of Dr. Seuss' vision," Adams said. "That was why he started writing the easy- to-read, early reading books. He wanted to try to get everybody excited about reading and see that it can be fun."
Adams said the education students had collected the books to give to kindergarten classes, including purchasing some of the books themselves.
Elmore, a student teacher at Shadow Oaks Elementary School in Horn Lake, is a senior education major who will be graduating in the spring.
Spencer Holden, 5, and Dominique Hankins, 6, were among the kindergartners who heard Elmore read at Horn Lake Elementary. Both thought the story was great.
The best part?
"When the Cat in the Hat cleaned the house," Dominique said.
