The legacy of children’s author Dr. Seuss took over the University Bookstore Tuesday morning for a Read Across America event.

Large paw-shaped footprints around the store led to different activities and the area where President Beverly Warren would read Seuss’ picture book “The Cat in the Hat” to young fans.

Warren sat down with kids from the Kent area to share a story from Seuss in celebration of his books that have inspired children to read.

Dr. Seuss Day in Kent from KentWired.com on Vimeo.

Recognizable Seuss characters, like Thing One and Two, posed for photos along with the Cat in the Hat. The life-sized characters also sat with the kids during the reading.

“I liked the stories,” said Willow Boyle, a little girl who was a guest at the event, accompanied by her grandmother Lynn Keil, who is also a Kent State alumna. 

“This is the first time we have (gone to this),” Keil said. “It was fun and I’m glad I was able to find the flyer.”

As Warren read aloud to the kids, they pointed out the pictures and made special remarks to interact with Warren. After Warren finished the story, she was given a Cat in the Hat-themed certificate by Nikki Dech, general book manager for the bookstore and coordinator of the event.

“Now I have my own Cat in the Hat,” Warren said.

“It’s important to come together as a community, especially at an educational institute,” Dech said.

Since it’s her third time organizing the event, Dech said she enjoys putting together the event for not just little kids, but older fans as well.

“We will do this again next year,” said Robin Spano, general merchandise bookseller at the bookstore and co-coordinator of the event. “We love it (and) it expands each year.”

Since the on-campus bookstore is the only Barnes and Noble retailer in Portage County, Spano said she “wants the campus to participate as much as possible in the Greater Kent community.”

Quaylyn Hairston is an entertainment reporter, contact her at [email protected]