"All across America, kids love to read

about star-bellied sneeches, the Lorax with thneed...

letting their fertile imaginations run loose

while diving into the world of Dr. Seuss.

And what better place but the Strong Museum of Play

to take have a nonsensical celebration of Dr. Seuss' birthday!"

OK, OK, enough with the lame rhymes. It's clear Dr. Seuss I am not, but perhaps your kids will fare better at "Pure Nonsense!," the Strong National Museum of Play's celebration of the birthday of one of the world's most beloved children's authors, Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, who was born on March 2, 1904, and died on September 24, 1991.

Part of the annual Read Across America Weekend - a national program sponsored annually by the National Education Association to encourage reading - the celebrations at Strong are all designed to bring the hyper-creative worlds of Seuss to life while fostering a love of literature and reading. In addition to all the normal stimuli available by the truckload at Strong Museum, kids can get wrapped up in tongue twisters, try to figure out mixed-up foods, create their own Seussical character, and even take the opportunity to be part of the "Seuss Schloppity-Schlopp Machine," if the urge so strikes. Aspiring authors can even try their hand at creating ridiculous stories of their own after being inspired by the readings of classic Seuss tales taking place every half hour. Hopefully they will be better at rhyming than I am.

Pure Nonsense! takes place at the Strong National Museum of Play, 1 Manhattan Square, on Saturday, February 28, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, March 1, noon-5 p.m. All activities are free with regular paid museum admission. For more information, 263-2700 or visit museumofplay.org.