First- and second-grade students at Mark Twain Elementary School cheered as the first Sneetch left Sylvester McMonkey McBean's machine with a star on its belly.
But when the star-bellied Sneetches saw the transformation, they used the machine to remove their own stars.
First-grade teacher Tracy McQuay read "The Sneetches" as other teachers, wearing yellow shirts and antennas, acted out Dr. Seuss' morality tale of discrimination and acceptance as part of Read Across America Day on Monday.
"They kept coming back to get stars put on then take them off," said second-grader Austin Salgado, 8.
Second-grade teacher Amelia Henry said she got a bit of stage fright playing a Sneetch, but the students couldn't tell.
"They're good actors," said Rachel Ruellas, 7.
And it was worth the nervousness, Henry said.
"There's a little more interaction with the kids," she said. "It shows them where books can take them."
But it was more than mere entertainment. After changing themselves back and forth, the Sneetches learned a valuable lesson " and so did the children.
"I learned that a Sneetch is a Sneetch no matter a star or not," said Gabrielle Mathews, 8. "It means you should be kind no matter who's who."
"And you shouldn't change yourself," Adelynn Puett, 7, added.
At the conclusion of the celebration " just before the cupcakes " students were quizzed on their knowledge of Dr. Seuss books.
Teachers read aloud passages from books, then students had to guess the titles.
It turned out to be no challenge at all, as hands went into the air before the first lines were even finished.
"I have these books at home," Shannon Mick, 6, explained. "They're very fun to read."
Read Across America Day is a nationwide observance of Dr. Seuss' birthday, May 2, and is sponsored by the National Education Association.
Mark Twain Elementary School joined others in the district promoting reading this week.
Jorge Avilos, 7, thinks it's a good idea.
"So when we are bigger and we go somewhere we could read," he said.
- Contact reporter Teri Vance at tvance@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1272.