Rapping, rhyming ... reading

Deepa Bharath

“R-E-A-D. Let’s all read a book today.”

Children at Victoria Elementary School were singing the refrain long

after the music and fun-filled show of Readapalooza Too had ended.

The group, funded by a state grant as part of Gov. Gray Davis’ READ

California program, is on an eight-week tour of California’s elementary

schools and made a brief stop in Costa Mesa on Tuesday to encourage

children to read through an interactive 20-minute live stage show that

included music, games and humor.

The players were “Dr. Umlaut,” the singing scientist, and his rapping

assistant, “Lyric,” who amuses spectators with his antics and sound

effects.

Principal Judy Laakso said her school was lucky to have been selected

by Readapalooza.

“It’s a way of acknowledging our students for the continuing

improvement they’ve made in reading,” she said.

The students, with the help of parents and teachers, read about 50,000

books last year, said Laakso.

The touring show, now in its second year, attempts to capture the

children’s attention and motivate them to read, said Lisa Fisher,

spokeswoman for the governor’s office of the Secretary of Education in

Sacramento.

“Kids have a lot of fun with it,” said Fisher, who travels all over

the state with the group. “It’s funny. It’s contemporary and it strikes a

chord with the kids.”

It is also meant to remind adults of their role, she said.

“We all have a responsibility to make sure kids are reading,” said

Fisher. “And it’s a serious and important responsibility that will affect

them for the rest of their lives.”

For the students, it all boiled down to two things -- fun and music.

For fourth-grader Cody Green, it was the rapping and rhythms that did

it.

“I totally loved the music,” he said.

For classmate Christina Bodnar, it was “everything.”

“It was really cool,” she said. “It made me want to read more.”