Actors, educators, city workers and cats in hats were in attendance at some of the community read-in days at Burbank elementary schools Friday.
As part of a national push for child literacy, annual Read Across America events were held at all Burbank elementary schools, starting in the morning with some ending in the afternoon.
It was also author Dr. Seuss' birthday. Community members visited schools to read many of his books, such as "Go, Dog. Go!" and "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish."
Burbank Firefighter Steve Byrne spent his morning reading to children at Ralph Waldo Emerson Elementary School. It was his second time volunteering for the read-in.
"Every year, the Fire Department, the guys, get together in their off-time and we do this," Byrne said.
He read "The True Story of the Three Little Pigs" — a version of the story as told by the Big, Bad Wolf — to second-grade students.
In the story, the Big Bad Wolf claims he was an innocent party, and was simply sneezing instead of trying to purposely blow the pigs' house down.
School Board President Ted Bunch read "The Quiltmaker's Gift."
"I have that one at home," said Iris Burson, 7. "My mom got it for me."
Each class had a reader and a student ambassador who escorted the reader to their room.
Volunteers for the day at Emerson included young actors from Nickelodeon shows as well as singers and a deaf performer, who used sign language to tell the stories as she read them.
Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School had a similar program, called "Guys in Ties," where professionals from the community came dressed in their work attire to read to the children and offer a bit of information about their jobs.
Teachers and students at Providencia Elementary dressed up as either the Cat in the Hat or in pajamas in honor of Dr. Seuss.
McKinley Elementary School celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday by reading one of his books over their intercom to students in a radio-drama style.
Walt Disney Elementary School featured a Cat in the Hat impersonator, who greeted readers, students and parents at the beginning of the day.
Older children read to their younger counterparts in the afternoon.
"We had a busy morning," said Gail Copeland, interim principal at Bret Harte Elementary School. "We had guest readers, not only firemen, but we also had people from the Bob Hope Airport."
Security people, Federal Aviation Administration representatives, employees of Alaska Airlines and Southwest Airlines, a control tower worker and airport police all read to the students.
This is the second year Bret Harte has partnered with the airport for Read Across America.
"It's just a good day to celebrate reading," Copeland said.
"And it gives us a special day. We read every day but this just makes it a little more special."
