Are you looking for a fun and FREE way to spend the weekend with your tween to teen age child? Check out Read Up Greenvile happening October 19, 2019. This annual book festival is a great way to introduce your child to a love of reading, or foster their growing love of reading. Kidding Around’s Melanie has all the info parents will need to make the most of this unique festival.
Harry Potter
The Hunger Games
Twilight
Do you know what all of these titles have in common? They had their beginnings on the shelf under the young adult fiction category. You might be surprised to learn how many recent movies had their start next to these books as well. Young adult literature has become a booming business. One local parent was inspired to bring a celebration of this genre to Greenville.
While attending YALLFEST in Charleston, Lee Yarborough was amazed. She watched teens get excited over meeting the author of their favorite books. The Upstate mom knew she wanted to duplicate this for the her hometown. Just a year later, Read Up Greenville had it’s first event.
A Celebration of Books
The event allows young readers to interact with authors through panel discussions, keynote addresses, book signings, and interactive book fun! The target audience is youth, ages 12-24 years, however readers of all ages are welcome to attend. The organizers try to invite a diverse selection of authors to participate in the panels. If you have a passion for reading, there is almost certain to be something for you here. Romance, science fiction, fantasy and graphic novels are just some of the genres you’ll find represented at Read Up.
Read Up 2019 Line-Up
This year the doors will open at 9 am, with keynote author, Nicola Yoon, going on stage at 9:30 am. She wrote the novel “The Sun is Also a Star.” Her novel was adapted for the big screen and released earlier this year starring Yara Shahidi of TV’s Grown-ish. EVRYTHING, EVERYTHING, debuted at the number one spot on the New York Times best sellers list and stayed there for nearly a year! Quite an accomplishment for an author’s first book.
Local author Jessica Khoury, will be participating in a panel called “Endgames People Play: Complex Heroes for Complex Times”. Khoury will be one of five participants in this panel discussion that starts at 11 am, in the Gunter Theatre.
At 12:45 pm in the Peace Center lobby, you will be able to create your own comic book to take home, alongside professional comic book authors.
- Chuck Brown – has written Black Panther and Punisher comics for Marvel. He is the co-creator and writer of Bitter Root.
- Constance Lombardo – the author of the highly illustrated series, Mr. Puffball.
- Nick Walz – Author of the dystopian graphic novel trilogy, Last Pick.
The Keynote address of the festival will be delivered by New York Times Bestselling, Newberry medal winning author Matt de la Pena.
A complete schedule for the days events can be found on the READ UP website.
Things To Know Before You Go
This festival is 100% free. If you want to attend, all you need to do is show up!
Lee urges parents to be mindful of the panels that they participate in with their children. “I want teens to feel that Read Up is also a safe place and I have heard teens ask fantastic and difficult questions to authors in a panel setting. I never want to censure their questions or whitewash the subject matter. Therefore, it is important that parents of young children realize this is a place specifically created for the middle school and high school levels.”
There will be food trucks in attendance, as well as the many local restaurants close to the Peace Center. Participants can come and go as they please.
We hope you consider this book festival for your young adult reader. We are really fortunate to have an event like this in the Upstate. Even more fortunate that the event is free of charge!
Which part of the Read Up Book Festival are you most looking forward too?
Read Up Book Festival
300 South Main Street
Greenville SC 29601
Doors open at 9 am at the Peace Center