Beloved storybook characters have taken up permanent residence near the University City Regional Library, where a new sculpture collection built largely from recycled materials now invites kids to climb, pose and rediscover a love of reading. The Turning the Page storybook sculpture collection features figures inspired by The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Cat in the Hat and the mischievous pigeon from Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, offering a free, photo-ready outdoor experience just steps from the library's doors.
University City Partners unveiled the collection, according to The Charlotte Post, with the installation located near the University City Regional Library. The commission was supported by University City Partners, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library and the City of Charlotte, with a placemaking grant from the Urban Design Center helping fund the project, per the same report. Families are invited to explore the sculptures, take photos, visit the library and discover reading, and visitors can walk a full 360 degrees around each piece for an immersive view.
An Artist's Months-Long Process to Bring Characters to Life
Artist Janeva Tyree was commissioned to complete the Turning the Page artwork, and the project did not come together overnight. The station's report notes Tyree spent over six months gaining approval from book publishers before the sculptures could even take shape, then spent another few months developing sketches and gathering community feedback that helped shape which designs ultimately made the cut.
Tyree said the sculptures aim to connect imagination, literacy, childhood and a sense of connection to self, the same account states. The result is a collection built from roughly 80% recycled or reclaimed materials, including reclaimed wood framing and interior structure, along with fragmented recycled glass embedded in the interior base flooring. Solar lighting illuminates the display after dark, extending the experience well past daytime story hours.
A Library Leader's Idea Finds Its Moment
The idea for the art installation originated with Darlene Heater, a former University City Partners leader who regularly read to students at Governor's Village STEM Academy, per the same report. University City Partners' Loán Lake said the project brings together public art, literacy, placemaking and partnership to create community spaces, adding that the art is intended to inspire or reignite a love of reading, creativity and wonder in both children and parents. The collection, per the same account, represents the continued evolution of the lake and University Place as a gathering spot for University City.
Timed to Meet a Weekend Crowd
The installation was unveiled ahead of Charlotte Kids Fest, which is scheduled for Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to Shoppes at University Place. The festival's mission is to expand entertainment options for children and families across the Charlotte area, and organizers say it is intended to make learning fun through engagement with art, literacy and educational experiences. The sculptures will provide an additional activation for children attending the festival from across Charlotte, giving families one more reason to linger near the lake before or after the main event.
Charlotte Kids Fest will consist of six main areas, including a Go Zone set to feature large construction and emergency vehicles, per Shoppes at University Place. Taken together, the new sculptures and the festival schedule give University City families a reason to visit the library grounds for literacy, art and outdoor play in the same visit, with the storybook trail now standing as a year-round complement to whatever programming the library and its partners build around it next.
