In Honor Of Dr. Seuss Day Create Your Own Edible Lorax Trees
In honor of Dr. Seuss Day on March 2, you can create your very own edible Lorax Trees. Each year, on March 2, students across the land come together to celebrate Dr. Seuss Day in honor of everyone’s favorite children’s author’s birthday with Read Across America Day. Read Across America Day, also known as Dr. Seuss Day, is a yearly observance in the USA inaugurated by the NEA (National Education Association). It is held on the school day that is nearest to 2 March, Dr. Seuss’s birthday. Theodor Seuss Geisel was an American artist, book publisher, animator, poet, political cartoonist as well as an author. He is best known for authoring over 60 children’s books. The NEA first launched the Read Across America, which is an initiative on reading that began in 1997, to encourage children in reading more books and also get them excited about reading. On 2 March 1998, the first Read Across America Day was celebrated; since then, it has been held annually. 
The holiday mainly focuses on motivating children to read as it improves their performance in school. On this day, hospitals, bookstores, community centers, churches, libraries as well as schools host many events. National Education Association members and a total of 50 national associations as well as organizations support the Read Across America Day. In my own classroom, it is the most anticipated day of the year where in the past everyone from students to teachers to parents come to school in their pajamas, sleeping bags, pillows, stuffed animals, and favorite books in tow and settle into a day of reading. Breakfast of course is Green Eggs and Ham and throughout the days, in between reading, students are treated to specially created Dr. Seuss Birthday-themed crafts including the making of their own iconic red and white stripe hat. And at night, it was all about Seussical The Musical.
This year, although the location for many of us has changed, the sentiment has not, and to help make the love of reading come alive, we have these easy to create Lorax Trees to honor the day.
Truffula Trees are from the famous Dr. Seuss classic book, “The Lorax“. Before being harvested to extinction, the Truffula was endemic to and only found Truffula Valley. It grew under the watchful eye of the Lorax, the guardian of the forest who speaks for the trees. Now you can bring home your own Truffual Tree as a special remembrance of Dr. Seuss Day. And the best part is that our sweet Lorax Trees are totally edible!
Dr. Seuss Day Inspired Truffula Tree Treats
Time: 3-5 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- ¼ c white candy melts
- 4 marshmallows
- 1 2.5oz bag of Cotton Candy (I also found the cotton candy at the Dollar Tree, but it is available at most grocery stores, and also on Amazon.
Directions:
- Heat the white candy melts according to package instructions to fully melt. I heated them for 1 minute in the microwave at 50% power, stirred, and then heated again for 30 seconds at 50% power, and that melted them fully for me.
- Dip a paper straw into the melted white candy, and then immediately push into the bottom of a marshmallow. The melted candy will harden, and help keep the marshmallow attached to the paper straw.
- Next, take approximately a handful of cotton candy out of the bag. Fluff it slightly to make it into a circular shape, then flip over, and make a small indention.
Dip the marshmallow into the melted white candy, and then put the marshmallow into the indention. Let set for about 30 seconds to allow the melted candy to harden slightly, then flip over. You may need to fluff the cotton candy again and pull it down a bit to cover the marshmallow. 
- Repeat the process with the remaining straws to create 4 “Truffula Trees”. As the cotton candy sits out, it begins to harden and starts to shrink. These are best if eaten immediately, or within 30 minutes of being made.
What is your favorite Dr. Seuss book and how will you be celebrating Read Across America Day and Dr. Seuss Day? 
“But now,” says the Once-ler, “now that you’re here, the word of the Lorax seems perfectly clear. UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
― The Lorax
