SHARP Literacy and The Milwaukee Police Department's Office of Community Outreach & Education will celebrate "Read Across America" during special events at several Milwaukee-area schools.  

During these celebrations of literacy and education in honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday, Mayor Tom Barrett, County Executive Chris Abele, Judge Derek Mosley, and officers from Milwaukee Police Department will talk to elementary students about the importance of literacy and read Dr. Seuss' book, Yertle the Turtle to them.

Lynda Kohler, President Sharp Literacy talked with CBS 58 News about the importance of getting kids to read early on in their lives.

"Our goal is to have the kids read at a third grade level at third grade. That's what we strive for with the earlier kids."

The students like Mayor Barrett's reading so much that they asked for a second book.

His choice was "Green Eggs and Ham." 

Always a crowd pleaser.

" Read Across America" is an initiative on reading created by the National Education Association in 1998.

One part of the project is National Read Across America Day, an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate the joys of reading on the school day closest to March 2, the birthday of beloved children's author Dr. Seuss.