The Mayor’s Book Club, a fun + new initiative for kids, has officially launched. 📚

Mayor John Tecklenburg recorded a virtual reading of the inaugural book selection, “The Freedom Ship of Robert Smalls” by Louise Meriwether, which was selected in coordination with a MOJA Festival exhibit currently on display at the City Gallery featuring the book’s illustrations by local artist Jonathan Green.

The initiative, which is available to 4-year-old children throughout the city of Charleston, aims to improve early literacy skills by encouraging reading + helping to prepare children for kindergarten.

Why it matters

○ With the rise of at-home learning caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the book club seeks to encourage + challenge young children as they begin to read, while providing a fun and safe virtual activity.

○ Through monthly virtual readings led by the mayor, the book club aims to help build children’s vocabularies, reading comprehension abilities and overall success with early reading.

How it works

○ Each month, a new book selection will be announced + a virtual reading with the mayor will be available on the Book Club website. The Gibbes Museum of Art will also provide a monthly art activity in coordination with the book’s themes and illustrations.

○ Parents or legal guardians may register their four-year-old children for a free membership at Buxton Books (160 King St.) where each monthly book will be available for purchase.

○ Official membership cards will be distributed to each enrolled child, and certificates of completion will be distributed to participants at the end of the year.

Everything else you need to know

○ In conjunction with this program, The Lowcountry Rice Culture Project, Jonathan Green Studios + Organizational Concepts will sponsor books for children enrolled in early education programs at Sanders-Clyde Elementary School.

○ Other partners for the book club include the Charleston County Public Library + the Charleston to Charleston Literary Festival.