The Florence County Library will welcome two-time Newbery Medal-winning author and illustrator Erin Entrada Kelly for a special event at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in celebration of National Library Week. Kelly will speak on the theme “Drawn to the Library,” spotlighting the magic of books and the joy of reading. SC Humanities helped support this program with a Mini Grant.
Erin Entrada Kelly has received numerous awards and recognition for her work, including the 2025 Newbery Medal for The First State of Being, 2018 Newbery Medal for Hello, Universe, a 2021 Newbery Honor for We Dream of Space, the 2023 NAIBA Book of the Year Award for Those Kids From Fawn Creek, and 2017 APALA Award for The Land of Forgotten Girls, among many other honors. She is also a National Book Award Finalist and author/illustrator of Marisol Rainey and Felix Powell, stand-alone stories for younger readers. Her books are New York Times bestsellers. Before becoming a children’s author, Erin worked as a journalist and magazine editor in her home state of Louisiana. She received numerous awards from the Louisiana Press Association and the Associated Press for community service journalism, feature writing, and editing. She has published more than thirty short stories and has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and the Philippines Free Press Award for Short Fiction. Learn more: https://www.erinentradakelly.com/.
Erin Entrada Kelly, acclaimed for her engaging stories and captivating illustrations, will host an interactive program designed for children and teens. Following the program, Erin will sign copies of her books, providing a unique opportunity for fans to connect with this beloved author. Jack’s Books of Florence will be on-site, offering Erin’s books for purchase during the event.
The event is free and open to the public. It will take place in the Stukes Meeting Room at the Florence County Library Main Branch, 509 S. Dargan Street, Florence, SC 29506. For more information, contact the Greenberg Children’s Library at 843.292.7382.
The Florence County Library System provides library materials, services, and programs to all citizens of Florence County, to assist them in obtaining information to meet their diverse educational, cultural, recreational, and professional needs. The Florence County Library consists of a Main Library, five branch facilities, and a bookmobile. County libraries in South Carolina are mandated by state law and governed by individual Boards of Trustees appointed by local County Councils. Learn more: https://florencelibrary.org/.
The mission of SC Humanities is to enrich the cultural and intellectual lives of all South Carolinians. Established in 1973, this 501(c)3 organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors comprised of community leaders from throughout the state. It presents and supports literary initiatives, lectures, exhibits, festivals, publications, oral history projects, videos, and other humanities-based experiences that directly or indirectly reach more than 250,000 citizens annually. South Carolina Humanities receives funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities as well as corporate, foundation and individual donors. The National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom.
