Happy Read Across America Day, LA!

March 2nd is Dr. Seuss’ birthday, and since many of us learned to read with his books and rhymes, “Read Across America” is celebrated on this day. So in order to get your young readers excited about books, but also celebrate the whimsical spirit of Dr. Seuss on his birthday, we found silly adventures and outings all over town that mix up books and the spirit of Seuss.

photo: Shahrzad Warkentin

It All Starts at the Library!
To read, you gotta have books.  And the best place to find books (including the whole Suess oeuvre) is at your local library.  But in a city like LA, we have more than just the corner spot explore.  There are libraries across our city that are well worth the drive, with gorgeous architecture, superb story times and wonderful playspaces in addition to the books.  Check out (pun intended!) some of our favorite libraries in town.

photo: Katie T. via Yelp

Green Eggs and Ham… LA Style
Sure you could break out the green food coloring and jazz up a plate of scrambled eggs at home, but why not kick things up a notch and head to Huckleberry Cafe in Santa Monica where your junior foodies can sink their teeth into a toasty English muffin stacked with prosciutto, pesto, arugula and a fried egg, aka “Green Eggs and Ham.”

Huckleberry Cafe
1014 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica
Online: huckleberrycafe.com

photo: Shahrzad Warkentin

Hug A Tree
If there’s one lesson to be taken from Seuss’ The Lorax, it’s that we must co-exist in loving harmony with nature. Honor LA’s native plant life with a visit to any one of the cities amazing gardens, like the Huntington Gardens or the Los Angeles Arboretum.

photo: Shahrzad Warkentin

Mr. Brown can make some wonderful sounds and you can too with a drop-in visit to one of LA’s best music classes for kids, like Moo Moo Musica, where your little noise makers can be as loud (or as quiet) as they want.

Moo Moo Musica
Wednesdays at 10:15 a.m.
Church In Ocean Park
235 Hill St.
Santa Monica
Online: moomoomusica.com

photo: Meghan Rose

Book ‘Em, Mom-O
While we love and adore libraries, there are some books so special you simply must own them and read them until the pages fall apart.  And for that, we love our local (or not so local!) bookstores.  Whether you want one of the most kid-friendly, one that won’t break the bank, or a bookstore worth planning a vacation around, here are some from right across the street to across the country that will inspire and delight the whole family.

photo: Syd B. via Yelp

Wacky Wednesday
As it just so happens, this year’s Read Across America Day falls on a Wednesday, so in honor of Dr. Seuss’ topsy-turvy tale of life gone silly, make it a “wacky” Wednesday with a visit to one of LA’s oddest attractions, the Time Travel Mart, where you can shop for dinosaur eggs and Victorian iPods.

1714 Sunset Blvd.
Echo Park
Online: timetravelmart.com

photo: Grand Park

Play Like Thing Two and Thing One
It is fun to have fun, but you have to know how! We know a fun playground that the Cat in the Hat would definitely approve. Your little ones can bounce and zing their way around the colorful, whimsical playground at Grand Park.

Grand Park
200 N. Grand Ave.
Downtown
Online: grandparkla.org

photo: Shahrzad Warkentin

One Fish, Two Fish… Sharks and Penguins
Discover some red fish, blue fish and a whole bunch of other marine life with a visit to the Aquarium of the Pacific. See just how many fish you can count and keep an eye out for unique species, like the Pacific Sea Nettles, that look a lot like a Seussian creature come to life.

Aquarium of the Pacific
100 Aquarium Way
Long Beach
Online: aquariumofpacific.org

Oh the Places You’ll Go!
If there’s one thing books do, it’s inspire imagination and a curiosity about the great wide world. Discover some of this city’s must-do attractions by reading kids books about LA and then check out those places with your little explorers.

And remember:

“You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read to a child.”

What Seuss or book inspired activities will you be doing to celebrate Read Across America this year? Share your ideas in the comments!

—Shahrzad Warkentin