BY DARRELL HALEN

While donning a red-and-white striped hat, Joe Puddister read “The Cat in the Hat Comes Back” aloud to a classroom of second-graders.

Puddister, a guest reader, did more than read from the Dr. Seuss book while turning its pages.

The 20-year-old member of the town’s budget committee, who attends Merrimack College, also stressed the importance of reading.

“Every day I go there, and just like you, I have to read,” he told the youngsters.

His visit was part of Pelham Elementary School’s participation in Read Across America, the nation’s largest reading celebration. This year marks the National Education Association’s 10th anniversary of the program.

Puddister told the children that unlike watching a movie, reading allows you to imagine how characters look and talk.

Throughout the Friday, March 9, event, each of the school’s 42 classrooms was visited by a guest reader.

Among them were local officials and department heads, retired educators, business people and athletes from Daniel Webster College.

School board member Linda Mahoney read “Oh The Places You’ll Go” to a readiness class.

A class of first-graders listened to Darren McCarthy, the town’s recreation director, read “Green Eggs and Ham.”

Selectman Ed Gleason read “Yertle the Turtle” to a group of first-graders.

“The whole idea is to involve the community,” said Michelle Viger, the school’s reading specialist, who planned the visits.

To get into the spirit of the celebration, the room where Viger greeted the guests was decorated with red-and-white balloons. Placed on a table were stuffed animals representing characters from Dr. Seuss books and a cake decorated with the image of the Cat in the Hat.

“It’s a chance to give back to the community,” Puddister said. “To share why reading is so important. To encourage these children to pick up a book and read.”

Viger asked the guests to read a Dr. Seuss book and to share with the youngsters why reading is important in their personal and professional lives.

“I really wanted men to come,” Viger said. “I don’t think that often young boys perceive males as readers.”
Mark Genovesi, the school’s former principal, came back to read. So, too, did Mary Flynn, who served as assistant principal.

Speaking to a multi-age class, Flynn fondly remembered when she got her first library card.

“I was excited and I love to read,” she said. “Reading takes you places.”