COME ONE, COME ALL!
Up, Up & Read! is the Charleston Library Society’s annual children’s literary festival, presented in support of The Book Drop, the Library Society’s early childhood literacy initiative. The festival brings together children, families, authors, and illustrators for a celebration of reading, storytelling, and the lifelong impact of books. Through literary programs, hands-on activities, and opportunities to connect with books and their creators, Up, Up & Read! advances the Library Society’s commitment to fostering a love of reading and expanding access to books for children throughout the greater Charleston community.
Take a look below at this year’s festival!
The Inaugural Festival
To kick off the school year in 2025, The Book Drop hosted its inaugural Up, Up & Read! festival took place during the first week of August and was a three-day children’s literary festival to foster the love of reading and support awareness of The Book Drop initiative. Up, Up & Read! celebrates children’s literature and nurtures the community through programming that cultivates and connects readers of diverse ages and backgrounds with renowned children’s authors while inspiring children to WANT to read and make reading accessible to every child, regardless of circumstances. Visitors enjoyed a full day of Read-Aloud story times and author panels such as Katie Wray Schon, Price Sigal, Jessica Dawson, Clay Rice, Jonathan Miller, and so many more, as well as musical performances, book signings, summer treats, and art projects inspired by our favorite authors and illustrators.
See more from Up, Up & Read! 2025 below.
WANT TO LEARN MORE?
For general inquiries, please reach out to Justine Buckley at jbuckley@charlestonlibrarysociety.org
For sponsorship inquiries, please reach out to Jen Comer at jcomer@charlestonlibrarysociety.org
FOR OUR AUTHORS
We are honored to have the continued and ongoing interest of the children’s author community in participating in our Festival. As we curate authors, signings, and books for the fair, we carefully consider all requests, but we do have several guidelines to ensure the highest quality experience for all involved. The following criteria are closely evaluated in considering our selections.
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Preference for books published through traditional third-party publishers
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Titles must be available for sale through our official bookseller, Buxton Books
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Age-appropriate in content and messaging, reflecting diverse perspectives and inclusive values that welcome and engage all children
