Donna Spugnardi of Lewiston is a “Cat”-alyst for getting children to read more.

Spugnardi is probably best known around the elementary schools in Lewiston as The Cat in The Hat, a character from Dr. Seuss’ much loved children’s books, “The Cat in The Hat” and “The Cat in The Hat Comes Back.”

She uses the persona in her work as head librarian for the Lewiston School Department’s six elementary schools, a job she has held for 26 years.

“The Cat in The Hat is important to me,” Spugnardi said. “He’s a great character and is popular through the generations, for kids, their parents and their grandparents.

“He’s a little naughty, but he always picks up after himself and his friends Thing 1 and Thing 2. Kids are drawn to him,” she said.

“My whole passion is wanting to get kids to read. I introduce children to the characters in a book so they will always have a friend to go to,” she said.

Her advice for all things Seuss is not limited to the younger children. She said older students can benefit from Seuss books such as “The Butter Battle Book.” That book allows the reader to see into Dr. Seuss’ background as a political cartoonist.

“The older students see that his books were not just written for 3- to 4-year-olds. He was just a genius,” Spugnardi said.

Spugnardi’s work is not all playing book characters. She coordinates all of the city’s elementary school libraries, ordering books that support the content areas, developing the library curriculum and working with teachers and staff on the district goals and academic programs.

“Sometimes you have to fight for your program and protect your interests so it doesn’t become fluff,” Spugnardi said.

The library “has become more complex with technology. We are on the cusp of making big changes with electronic books and the role the (paper) book plays. Right now, there is a big emphasis on math literacy and science and social studies texts.”

Spugnardi also fights for getting books into the homes of the children she inspires. She searches for funding to be sure those children who have no books get some for home.

The fact that Spugnardi’s office has been relocated to Geiger Elementary School is somewhat fitting for her. The school’s color scheme and quotes on the walls reinforce what Spugnardi calls Seuss’ genius.

Spugnardi’s passion for Seuss and his brilliance to inspire literacy and learning for children of all ages is best represented in one of her favorite ‘Seuss-isms:’ “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.”

For Spugnardi, Dr. Seuss’ “books are the purr-fect escape.”