School will be out for Christmas soon, giving area children plenty of free time as they count down to Christmas. Santa Claus will be in town next week with the perfect solution to all that spare time — reading.

Reading is Fundamental will hold its Breakfast with Santa Dec. 17 at the Selma Convention Center from 10 a.m. until noon. Each child will leave the breakfast with at least two books and they’ll also get to celebrate the holidays with Clifford the Big Red Dog, Big Bird, Curious George and Franklin the Turtle.

“We are going to give them books that they can take home to read during the holidays,” said Nancy Sewell, director of RIF. “That will give children an edge over children that do not read over the holidays. It’s called reading for success. We believe if kids read they will be successful.”

The breakfast will be Dr. Seuss themed so green eggs and ham will be served.  Children will also have the opportunity to dine and visit with Santa and sing Christmas carols.

The breakfast is for preschool children through eighth graders.

The event is being sponsored by Zeta Eta Omega Chapter/Women and Young Service Center of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the Dallas County Commission and the Selma City Council.

“The greatest gift parents can give children for the holidays is the gift of books and the love of reading,” Sewell said.