We take our children to local bookstores whenever we can. We take them to the library. We take them to Books A Million. We always peruse the book aisle at Sam’s Club. I’m really not picky about how I expose my children to the tactile experience of perusing a shelf and finding a good read. For the past few years we have been diligently participating in Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day, and it’s coming up again this Saturday.
In 2010, the first Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day was celebrated by just 80 dedicated bookstores. Now the list of participating stores numbers over 700. You can see a list of participating stores at their website, and even add your own bookstore to the map. The idea is simple. Take your child to a participating bookstore this Saturday and they will get to pick a book (up to a $10 value) to take home with them for free. Our local store, Longfellow Books in Portland, Maine, lets you apply the $10 to a bigger book if they decide on something a bit pricier. If you can, I’d encourage you to pick out several and support your local bookstore.
It’s a great day, and a great environment for the kids. We walk in to the store, which is full to bursting with children on the trail of new adventures. Parents are happily standing by breathing it in, or encouraging one shelf or another, staff are pointing out things that the kids might like. This is where my son first discovered The Cat in the Hat, and where we expanded our McCloskey library to include Blueberries for Sal. I can’t wait to see what the boys will pick out this week, and what extras I might find to bring home.
So, take a look at the list, clear your schedule, and take your child to a bookstore. You won’t regret it, I promise.
