Chapter 1:
Mayor Jacobs
Chapter 2:
Tennessee Smokies
Chapter 3:
Zoo Knoxville
Chapter 4:
Mayor Kincannon
Chapter 5: Knox County
Parks & Recreation
Chapter 6:
Knoxville Ice Bears
Chapter 7:
Superintendent Rysewyk
Meet the author:
Ashlyn Anstee
Scavenger Hunt
Students, complete the One Book Read City scavenger hunt by visiting 3 locations listed below. Find the 3-D hermit crab, collect a stamp, and return your card to your school by May 17.
Finishers will be entered in a drawing to win a pizza party at Zoo Knoxville with Mayor Jacobs!
Barnes & Noble
8029 Kingston Pike
The Bottom Bookstore
2340 East Magnolia Avenue
CommonPlace Coffee + Community
6000 Chapman Highway
Cruze Farm Pizza Barn
2723 Asbury Road
Cruze Farm Ice Cream
2721 Asbury Road
445 South Gay Street
Admiral's Dough-Joe
11665 Parkside Drive
Beaver's Dough-Joe
7650 Oak Ridge Highway
Panther's Dough-Joe
1902 West Emory Road (Powell)
Food City
All Knox County locations
Home Depot
All Knox County locations
Ijams Nature Center
2915 Island Home Avenue
Knox Area Urban League
1514 East Fifth Avenue
Knox County Public Library
All locations
Knoxville Museum of Art
1050 World's Fair Park Drive
Likewise Coffee
1209 East Magnolia Avenue
Pellissippi State Community College (Magnolia Campus)
1610 East Magnolia Avenue
Sunago Coffee Company
10736 Hardin Valley Road
Union Avenue Books
517 Union Avenue
Weigel's
All Knox County locations
Wrenhouse Bakery
3023 Tazewell Pike (Fountain City)
7404 Tazewell Pike (Corryton)
Xfinity
6928 Kingston Pike
5132 North Broadway
Career exploration
Shelby & Watts: Tide Pool Troubles is a graphic novel in which a dynamic duo set out to solve an environmental mystery. Check out these careers in environmental science and graphic design! One Book Read City supports Knox County Schools’ mission to empower and prepare students for their future careers.
Marine Biologist
Recycling/Sustainability
Graphic Design
Park Ranger
Environmental Scientist
One Book 2024
Shelby & Watts: Tidepool Troubles
by Ashlyn Anstee
Author Ashlyn Anstee is appearing at the 2024 Children's Festival of Reading!
One Book Read City FAQ
All students K-5th grade in Knox County Elementary Schools. Books are also provided for all school staff so they can join in the book discussions with sutdents
Approximately 33,000 books are purchased and distributed annually to support One Book Read City. The cost per book is around $2.50, which means approximately $75,000 is spent on books alone. Additional donations of funds, prizes, or in-kind gifts enrich this literacy initiative through the two-week period.
This fun-filled community-wide event will not add to teacher workload. It provides engaging activities that support classroom reading. Teachers from each school participate in a quarterly information meeting where they share ideas and resources for the district. All teachers are provided with a website of lessons, videos, and activities for their students.
Multiple community events happen during the two-week period of One Book Read City festivities including celebrity guest videos, education activities, career exploration videos, and a community-wide scavenger hunt. All culminating with the Knox County Public Library's Children's Festival of Reading.
One Book Read City is only successful through community support. Individuals, businesses, and non-profit organizations are welcome to provide in-kind contributions, donate prizes, and give financial support. Contact the Knox Education Foundation to discuss sponsorship and partnership opportuniites.
About Read City USA
Led by Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs, READ CITY USA is a collaborative initiative of Knox County Government, Knox County Public Library, Knox County Schools, and other community organizations to help all children learn to read early and well, thereby reaching their full potential in school and in life.
Read City USA programs include One Book Read City, Explorer Pass, and a host of community-wide reading challenges. Together, Read City participants have read millions of hours, modeling literacy and reading for pleasure as priorities in Knox County. Read more about the current Read City USA challenge.