WAKE Up and Read launches annual book drive

WAKE Up and Read, a collaborative of a variety of literacy and education groups across Wake County, will launch its annual book drive on Saturday with a special event at Quail Ridge Books & Music in Raleigh.

Starting at 2 p.m., Saturday, the event includes celebrity readers WRAL-TV anchor Ken Smith and Eric Fitts, Wake County principal of the year. Local children's author and illustrator Mark Dobowski will lead an art activity. There will be face painting and appearances from Disney princesses and the WAKE Up and Read mascot, Ruben the Rooster. Quail Ridge also will be offering customers a 20 percent discount on any purchases if they donate to WAKE Up and Read.

In February, organizers hope to collect 110,000 new and gently used books for kids, birth to 12 years. The books will be distributed to students at 10 Wake elementary schools and the surrounding child care facilities and community centers. I wrote about this great group last year and its important efforts to help make sure all children in Wake County have books of their own.