the National Education Associa- tion (NEA) will invite children and adults of all ages to be in the companyof a book on Read Across America Day, March 2. On that day in 2001, which would have been the 97" birthday of beloved children’s author Dr. Seuss (Theodor Geisel), millions of students, parents, teachers, librarians, celebrities, politicians and others will celebrate the joys of reading. This year’s Read Across Amer- ica theme, “Oh, the Places You'll Go,” invites readers young and old to travel through the world of books to new and exciting adventures, as did the Dr. Seuss book of the sametitle. With gentle wisdom and a wealth of humor, Oh, the Places You’ll Go reminds readers of the endless possibilities life has to offer. That message has special meaning for NEA’s Read Across America: To get to the places you wantto go in life, you need to know howtoread. Leading NEA’s Read Across America 2001 will be actor Morgan Freeman. The three-time Academy Award nominee began his career as a character actor—Easy Reader —on the widely acclaimed PBS series, The Electric Company. That role, Freeman says, remains one of his favorites “because of the opportunity it gave me to promote the importanceofliteracy.” NEAPresident Bob Chase said, “We are honored to have someone Superstar Morgan Freeman chairs NEA’s Read Across America 2001. of Morgan Freeman’s caliber lend his voice and talent to helping Read Across America spread the message that not only is reading a necessary skill, but it’s fun as well.” In a soon-to-be-released public service announcement for NEA’s Read Across America, Freeman echoes that message: “At home, at school, at work, at play, reading is part of every day.” Last year, more than 30 million children, teenagers, and adults took part in Read Across America activities in cities and townsin all 50 states. Even more participation is expected for the celebration this year. For more information about NEA’s Read Across America, visit www.nea.org/readacross.
