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Kids celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday
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Times photo: Brian Gray Paige Blumer, 10, Albany, paints some whiskers on Emma Grosz, 2, Albany, Saturday, at the Dr. Seuss birthday party at the Albertson Memorial Library in Albany. Children listened to Valerie Johnson read The Cat in the Hat, made hats and ate cake to celebrate the authors 106th birthday.

What are kids reading?

The 10 most popular children's' books according to the National Education Association:

1. "Charlotte's Web" by E.B. White and Garth Williams

2. "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak

3. "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein

4. "Green Eggs and Ham" by Dr. Seuss

5. "Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd

6. "Love You Forever" by Robert N. Munsch and Sheila McGraw

7. "Because of Winn-Dixie" by Kate DiCamillo

8. "Oh, The Places You'll Go" by Dr. Seuss

9. "Little House on the Prairie" by Laura Ingalls Wilder

10. "The Polar Express" by Chris Van Allsburg

ALBANY - Aiden Runkle, 6, Albany, said he likes to read his "Scooby-Doo" book.

Sometimes he reads by himself, but other times his mom, Jenny Runkle, reads to him.

"I like it when I read by myself, but I like it when my mom reads to me, too," he said.

Albertson Memorial Library in Albany celebrated the birthday of Dr. Seuss and the importance of reading Saturday by reading "The Cat in the Hat" and, of course, with birthday cake.

"It's important to get kids interested in books at an early age," Jenny Runkle said.

Books can take a person to another place and another time. They can take kids to significant historical events. They can introduce them to new things.

"Books allow kids to use their imagination," Valerie Johnson said.

Runkle and Johnson are part of the "Friends of the Library" group that helped organize the event.

Libraries across the country plan to honor Dr. Seuss and encourage children to read as part of the National Education Association's (NEA) "Read Across America" campaign, which begins Tuesday.

The purpose of the campaign, which began in 1997, is to motivate children to read. According to the NEA, children who spend more time reading do better in school. The group also encourages parents to read to their children.

The "Read Across America" campaign is expected to involve more than 45 million people across the country.

A "Read Across America" event will take place at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, at the Monroe Public Library.

Children will hear classic Dr. Seuss stories, along with "The Motley Fools" teen readers presenting "Three Stories You Can Read to Your Dog." Refreshments will be served.

More information about the national program is available at www.nea.org/readacross.