First Book-Collier County celebrates the birthday of Theodor Geisel, lovingly known as Dr. Seuss, with a “Stay at Home and Read” fundraiser on Sunday, March 2, in conjunction with the national Read Across America literacy movement.

Karina Maciel, with classmate Keaira Smith behind, holds the book she received last year as a student in Susan Holt’s second grade class at Golden Terrace Elementary School.

 FBCC will help children in Collier County celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday by providing 6,800 books — the beloved “Cat in the Hat,” “Green Eggs and Ham,” “Fox in Socks” and “Oh, Can You Say” among them — for children in pre-K Head Start classes as well as kindergarten, first- and second-grade students in Title I schools across the county.

“First Book is a unique literacy program because we work closely with classroom teachers who plan their curriculum around the age-appropriate books we give each month to the students,” explains Mary Polizzotto, FBCC board member and book distribution co-chair. “Every student in the class gets the same new book to read and study in class, then take home and keep.”

Nora Kolmer reads to her grandniece Nora Herseim during last year’s “Stay at Home and Read” event sponsored by First Book-Collier County.

First-grade teachers, for example, can incorporate lessons about the food pyramid, encourage sharing and even make up recipes when they read “Green Eggs and Ham” with their students, Ms. Polizzotto adds.

Each month during the school term, First Book distributes 6,800 new books for children to keep. Since it was founded in 2005, the organization has distributed more than 400,000 books, making it a top-performing chapter of the national First Book organization.

Aracely Hernandez and Brittany Pileao, students in Maria Esquijarosa’s pre-K class at RCMA, Six L’s Farm in Immokalee.

For the “Stay at Home and Read” fundraiser, donors can adopt a Title 1 classroom for $500, the amount required to provide books for an entire class for the school year, or can give as little as $25 to fund one child’s books for the same period.

Kindergartener Roy Ramirez is all set to enjoy “Fox in Sox” at Eden Park Elementary School.

Two pre-K students at Fun Time Early Childhood Academy get ready to enjoy “The Cat in the Hat.”

For more information about First Book-Collier County or to make a donation, visit www.FirstBookCollierCounty.org.

– Florida Weekly, February 13, 2014