How about a heaping plate of green eggs and ham?

You'll find that metaphorical dish and more at Dr. Seuss' Birthday Celebration, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Fairytale Town in Sacramento.

Highlights include readings of some of Theodor Geisel's classic books (he wrote 46) by Sacramento Vice Mayor Angelique Ashby and fellow Sacramento City Council members Darrell Fong, Kevin McCarty and Jay Schenirer, Sacramento Bee community affairs director Pam Dinsmore, Mix 96's Jennifer Wood and News 10's Mellisa Paul.

Also, look for Dr. Seuss-themed hands-on projects for children, including crafting "Cat in the Hat" hats, creating rhyming flip charts and planting "truffula" trees – strange flora described in "The Lorax."

The bash will be 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 3901 Land Park Drive, Sacramento. It's free with paid park admission of $5. The park is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Information: (916) 808-7462, www.fairytaletown.org.

Celebrating Dr. Seuss' contribution to children's literature doesn't stop there. The Sacramento Public Library plans birthday parties at these branches.

More information: (916) 264-2920, www.saclibrary.org.

SATURDAY

• 11 a.m.: Elk Grove Library, 8900 Elk Grove Blvd., Elk Grove (families).

• 2 p.m.: Arcade Library, 2443 Marconi Ave., Sacramento (families).

• 2 p.m.: South Natomas Library, 2901 Truxel Road, Sacramento (families).

• 2 p.m.: Southgate Library, 6132 66th Ave., Sacramento (families).

• 3:30 p.m.: Rio Linda Library, 902 Oak Lane, Rio Linda (ages 6 to 12).

LATER

• 4 p.m. March 7: North Highlands-Antelope Library, 4235 Antelope Road, Antelope (ages 6 to 12).

• 11 a.m. March 9: Robbie Waters Pocket-Greenhaven Library, 7335 Gloria Drive, Sacramento (families).

That paleontology family

It's not too late to buy tickets to catch Louise Leakey's presentation at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Memorial Auditorium, 1515 J St., Sacramento.

Leakey is a paleontologist, conservationist, educator and National Geographic explorer-in-residence, and the youngest member of the famous Leakey family of fossil hunters in east Africa.

She is the fifth speaker in the Sacramento Speakers Series' 2012-13 lineup of six global notables.

Tickets are $49 to $50. Information: (916) 388-1100, http://www.sacramentospeakers.com

The last speaker for the series will be Robert Ballard on April 2. He is the maritime archaeologist, geophysicist and educator who led the teams that discovered the remains of the Titanic, the Bismarck and the USS Yorktown.

Inspiring tale of a climber

Folsom-based author and freelance writer Bill Romanelli helps tell the inspiring, remarkable story of competitive rock climber Craig DeMartino in "After the Fall" (Kregal, $13.99, 208 pages).

In 2002, DeMartino fell 100 feet during a climb in Rocky Mountain National Park, ultimately losing his right leg. Since then, he became the first amputee to climb Yosemite's El Capitan in less than a day; won five gold medals in speed climbing and bouldering at the Extremity Games; and took a bronze medal for Team USA at the Paraclimbing World Championships in 2012.

Around town

• One of our favorite area writers, Eileen Rendahl, is back on the scene with the third title in her Sacramento-set "Messenger" urban-suspense series, titled "Dead Letter Day" (Ace, $7.99, 304 pages).

Meet her at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Avid Reader, 617 Second St., Davis, (530) 758-4040.

The first two books in the series – "Don't Kill the Messenger" and "Dead on Delivery" – won several awards.

Rendahl also writes romantic suspense as Eileen Carr.

Visit the author at www.eileenrendahl.com, or email her at eileen@eileenrendahl.com.

• The 150-member Sacramento Book Collectors Club has been around since its charter meeting in 1939 at Hart's restaurant on K Street. It will celebrate that anniversary with another dinner – this one at 5 p.m. March 8 at Mul-vaney's B&L, 1215 19th St., Sacramento; (916) 441-6022.

Capital Public Radio food-and-lifestyle reporter and cookbook author Elaine Corn will be the featured speaker.

The public is invited. Tickets are $45 at www.sacramentobook collectors.org. The group's mission is to "promote and celebrate the printed word."

Why the low ranking?

It's no surprise that Washington, D.C., was named 2012's most literate city in America for the third year running.

What is surprising is that Sacramento ranks so low on the list of 76 U.S. cities of 250,000 or more population – No. 42, up from No. 44 last year. The listing was assembled from a study by Central Connecticut State University President John Miller.

He based the ranking on "data that includes the number of bookstores, library resources, newspaper circulation, Internet resources and educational levels in the areas."

San Francisco fell two positions to No. 11.

For the complete list, go to http://www.ccsu.edu/page.cfm?p=15608

The top 10:

• Washington, D.C.

• Seattle

• Minneapolis

• Pittsburgh

• Denver

• St. Paul

• Boston

• Atlanta

• St. Louis

• Portland, Ore.

What a fantasy

Fantasy writers don't get any bigger than George R.R. Martin, whose seven-title epic "A Song of Ice and Fire" is ongoing. Five titles have been released – the latest was "A Dance With Dragons" in 2011 – with two to be published – "The Winds of Winter" and "A Dream of Spring." His global fan base is waiting eagerly, to put it mildly.

Meanwhile, those same fans and many new recruits have been mesmerized by the HBO series "A Game of Thrones," adapted from Martin's first "Fire and Ice" entry in 1996. Season Three premieres March 31; so far, each "Thrones" episode has attracted more than 10 million viewers.

Now the punchline: Martin recently signed a deal with HBO to "develop and produce" more series for the cable network.

Hold on to your swords …

LET US KNOW

If you have information on author appearances or other book-related special events, email it to bookmarks@sacbee.com at least two weeks before the event. To read the online calendar, go to www.sacbee.com/books. Questions? Call The Bee's Allen Pierleoni, (916) 321-1128.

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