Guest reading at my old elementary school: Year 5 March 5, 2020

Other guest reading posts: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022

Monday simultaneously marked my fifth National Read Across America Day at Leo F. Giblyn School in Freeport (where it’s known as Guest Reader Day), and the fifth anniversary of my debut.

I was unable to attend last year as I was in South Florida for my cousin’s wedding, but Meghan Carney allowed me to read to her class a month and a half later.

Unfortunately, Lori Downing, the teacher who first invited me to be a guest reader five years ago, couldn’t make it this year due to a death in the family. She graciously lent me her classroom as my home base for the day. I hung out there between reading sessions.

This year also had a theme: Be Kind, based on Pat Zietlow Miller’s book of the same name. The day began with an assembly for students in the cafetorium (cafeteria/auditorium), hosted by Gina Newcombe. There were separate assemblies for kindergarten through second grade, and for third and fourth graders. I attended the first assembly.

An introductory video featured messages from faculty – including principal Amanda Muldowney and assistant principal Amy Lederer – and slides, the latter of which can be seen here:

Next, Lisa Eisenberg presented a few scenarios based on book excerpts. They were acted out by Larraine Brown, Stephanie Huggard, George DiGiovanni, and Wendy Connelly. Each scenario had an unkind and kind version, prefaced by Mrs. Eisenberg.

After the first assembly, I returned to Mrs. Downing’s room. I hadn’t received the schedule yet, so I didn’t know who I’d be reading to or when. Mrs. Huggard provided the schedule once the second assembly was over.

In the next five hours, I read ten books to six classes (denoted in parentheses), mostly by Dr. Seuss:

• Green Eggs and Ham (Gilbert Hernandez)
• The Cat in the Hat (Jaclyn Dinelli)
• Would You Rather Be a Bullfrog? (Sue Caravousanos)
• Maybe You Should Fly a Jet! Maybe You Should Be a Vet! (Caravousanos)
• Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? (Meghan Carney)
• There’s a Wocket in My Pocket! (Carney)
• Fox in Socks (Carney)

Fox in Socks, my last book of the day, was quite a workout. It was an epic, riddled with tongue twisters.

The three non-Dr. Seuss books were:

• Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller (Emmy Nicholas)
• A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams (Nicholas)
• The Journey of Oliver K. Woodman by Darcy Pattison (Kelly Nicholson)

There was mutual admiration. The students and faculty love me and I love them back. I’m grateful for the opportunity every year to act out the books I read, putting smiles on everyone’s faces. Thank you all.

Until next year, I’ll leave you with a collage of candid photos all the teachers took as I read: