The 50th birthday of The Cat in the Hat was celebrated on Friday during the annual Vance County Association of Educators-sponsored Read Across America event at the H. Leslie Perry Memorial Library’s McGregor Hall.
This is the first time the library has hosted the event.
A free book was distributed to each student who registered.
In addition to free literature, a birthday party for the Cat was held, with plenty of cake for everyone.
Students could also get One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish tattoos, fish for prizes, make a small birthday cake, or win a goldfish, or participate in a number of other activities sponsored by Vance County elementary schools.
Several adults from the community, such as Henderson Police Chief Keith Sidwell, Henderson City Council member Garry Daeke, and Henderson-Vance County Fire Chief Danny Wilkerson came to read to students during the celebration.
Claire Ramsey, the Director of Youth Services for the library, heralded the event as a great success, despite spending three hours in a cat suit posing for photographs.