Literary Landscape

Hundreds of voices were lifted in celebration of the written word Tuesday as celebrities and other volunteers took time out to promote the joys of reading to schoolchildren throughout Southern California.

The occasion was the launching of the second annual Read Across America, a weeklong series of events aimed at boosting children’s reading levels and their interest in books. Across the nation, more than 1 million adults and teenagers were set to read book passages to 20 million schoolchildren.

Tuesday’s events coincided with the 95th anniversary of the birth of Dr. Seuss, whose fantastic creatures and prose captured the imaginations of generations of children.

The theme at many locations was a variation on one of the author’s most beloved books, “Green Eggs and Ham,” as schoolchildren were dished up bizarrely colored breakfasts and met at their classroom doors by teachers and principals with green hair and emerald makeup.

Volunteers sought to accentuate the magic of books and stimulate young minds with readings and contests at scores of schools, highlighted by a gathering of 4,000 students from Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties at Universal Amphitheatre.

There, they cheered the winners of the Dr. Seuss Language Arts Contest, a creative writing competition for students in kindergarten through third grade, sponsored by the Screen Actors Guild Foundation, the Los Angeles Times, the National Education Assn. and the California Teachers Assn.

Celebrities such as Jane Seymour, James Keach and Jamie Lee Curtis announced the contest winners by reading the students’ works aloud. Book illustrations--also created by the students--were simultaneously projected onto a large screen.

Prizes, ranging from $2,500 scholarships for individual first-place winners to $1,000 awards for second-place group winners, were handed out onstage to the recipients.

Participants were also entertained by student choirs from Panorama City’s Noble Avenue, Studio City’s Rio Vista and Los Angeles’ Wilshire Crest elementary schools.

“I liked how we sounded with lots of people singing,” said Rio Vista third-grader Dexter Melendrez. “I’m a big reader and I love Dr. Seuss, so this was really fun.”

But it was in the more intimate interactions, with wide-eyed children hushed in concentration, where volunteers seemed to have the most impact. After Diana Lopez finished reading “De Compras con Mama” (“Shopping With Mom”) for Kevin Alvarado, the 4-year-old flashed a wide grin and clutched the slim paperback to his chest.

“He wants me to read it again,” said Lopez, a 14-year-old Manual Arts High School freshman, as the pre-kindergartner tugged at her knee.

Lopez was one of more than 100 volunteers at Magnolia Avenue Elementary School’s celebration. This is the first year the Pico-Union school has participated in the nationwide event and it will now become a tradition, said Principal Brenda Steppes.

Rhonda Amaya, who works in the school’s office, said she volunteered because “I love to read and I love kids.” She read two chapters from Louis Sachar’s “Sideways Stories From Wayside School” to fifth-graders from Shelley Meena’s class.

Later, the students recounted their favorite part--the tale of a mean teacher who wiggles her ears and sticks out her tongue to turn students into apples. But they quickly added that they have never encountered a teacher like that.

At Orange County’s Miller Elementary School, Principal Barbara Sanchez promised her students that she would dye her hair green if 90% of them applied for library cards. Only 78% did, so Sanchez compromised, dying half her hair green and using green makeup for half her face.

Students were thrilled all the same.

“They were shocked to see I actually did it,” Sanchez said. “They just kind of giggled and laughed.”

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Times staff writers Seema Mehta and Diane Wedner in Los Angeles and Christine Castro in Orange County contributed to this story.