The birthday of the late Theodor Geisel, better known as beloved children’s author Dr. Seuss, will be celebrated Friday in Lawrence.

The Roger Hill Volunteer Center, in collaboration with its “Why Wait to Read” Giving Library, will host a “Read Across America” event from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at seven after-school program sites. The event is designed to motivate children to read and demonstrate the importance of mastering basic skills.

Volunteers will read to children in a nationwide reading celebration, which takes place every year on Geisel’s birthday. Each child also can choose a book from the library to take home.

The sites participating on Friday are the Boys and Girls Club and these elementary schools: Cordley, Woodlawn, New York, Deerfield, Hilltop and Pinckney.

For more information, contact Maggie Bixler, volunteer coordinator, by sending an e-mail to volunteer@rhvc.org or calling 865-5030.