Celebration of Reading Sculpture

A Celebration of Reading Sculpture by Branko Medencia

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”

Creation of the Sculpture

As the Literary Capital of Alabama and Harper Lee's birthplace, Monroeville is a common destination for anyone who is passionate about the power of books. To honor this cultural heritage, the Monroeville | Monroe County Chamber of Commerce commissioned a striking bronze statue that reflects the city's rich literary history.

Monroeville is a popular destination for literature lovers traveling taking in all of the important sites along the way. Inspired by these travelers, state tourism director Lee Sentell knew Monroeville needed some way to display pride in the town's role in this cultural heritage. From this inspiration, "A Celebration of Reading" was born.

The statue was commissioned in 2010, and a lengthy search was conducted to determine who would create the work. The honor went to Birmingham, AL sculptor Branko Medenica, who crafted the three-part statue from bronze over a period of four years. On April 17, 2014, the statue was finally unveiled on the Monroeville courthouse square.

The Sculpture's Design

“A Celebration of Reading” features three children gathered around a bench. A barefoot girl in pigtails, meant to look like Scout of To Kill a Mockingbird, sits on the right side of the bench and holds a book, a rapt expression indicating her enjoyment of the story. Two boys are perched over her shoulder on each end of the bench, both clearly swept up in the tale as well. The design conveys the sense of childlike wonder that reading can bring, as well as the way books inspire and motivate us all.

Best of all, the statue is designed to be interactive, so visitors can immerse themselves in the scene. Space on the bench allows a person to sit next to the reading girl and pose for pictures as if they were sharing her joy in the book. Linking the city's place in literary history, the resulting photo will capture the striking dome of the Monroeville Courthouse in the background. More than simply another city building, the courthouse served as inspiration for important scenes in To Kill a Mockingbird and even inspired the set design of the 1962 film adaptation.