Friday, November 19, 2010

Take A Child to a Bookstore Day

Here's a nice idea that's been flung up on the Internet recently -- take your (or somebody else's) child to a bookstore on December 4th!  

Let them pick out a book for immediate purchase . . . or make a wish list for the holidays . .  . or perhaps, select books for giving to others.
I have fond memories of almost monthly visits to the book department of Maas Brothers -- a large department store in Tampa, Florida --  back in the Fifties and being allowed to purchase the latest Nancy Drew.  How nice to be able to pass on a similar experience to a young reader!
This is a new idea, just getting started -- but what a wonderful gift for a child -- to be introduced to the joy of book owning and to the special thrill of being surrounded by books, any one of which might become a lifelong friend.

There's more information HERE.
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20 comments:

Brian Miller said...

nice....i think i meet this one every week...lol

R. Burnett Baker said...

I'm lovin' this idea! And further more, ensure they pick out an ACTUAL book, not one of those gidgety, gadgety, gizmo "pREADERS or iPAGERS or kooks or whatever the retailers are calling them today.

BOOKS. Not machines! The machine readers are evil. But I'll expound on that some other day!

Rick

J_on_tour said...

Now this is what I call a great idea. As with technology in other industries, it seems that we are fed with the idea of 'so called progression'. It's not a dismal brown package that comes through the post because we bought it in a room that we are familiar with, or..... a stereotypical object that we get confused with our phone, ipod and TV remote.
We need to re learn the art of going into bookstores where we need to feel, smell and drink in the passion and excitement of choosing a book. One reason why I still visit the food supermarket.

Unknown said...

I love this idea. I think I'll have to borrow my little neighbour.

Martin said...

A nice idea, Vicki. A good habit to get into.

Reader Wil said...

Bookshops were always my favourite places. I always asked books for my birthdays and Saint Nicholas'Eve! My children and grandchildren are booklovers too!Great idea, Vicki to have a Bookstore Day.

Pat in east TN said...

My granddaughter is too far away to do this, but part of her Christmas gift this year are the first few books of the Nancy Drew series. She is an avid reader and I want her to feel the joy I got reading Nancy Drew way back when!

Kaye Wilkinson Barley - Meanderings and Muses said...

Isn't this a lovely idea?! AND a gorgeous poster.

BB said...

Ahh what a sweet idea. Nancy Drew was also my favorite. I sent my girls my favorite Nancy Drew hoping to have them reading and experience the excitement of The Secret of Red Gate Farm. I just found out that they didn't like it. Destini is more infatuated with biographies in the 3rd grade. How can you complain on that one...love kids that read.

Tipper said...

What a great program-I hope it's a huge success!

Suz said...

Does that include my inner child?

Vicki Lane said...

I love Suz's comment and will say YES, certainly you inner child has some books it wants. Did you never read the real WIND IN THE WILLOWS -- only the Disney version? Get that inner child to a bookstore and give it a treat! (Try to find an edition with the Rackham illustrations.) Or just check out some of the gorgeous picture books -- that are really art books.

Christine said...

What a wonderful idea Vicki! I gave my daughter books from the time she was a baby and to this day she still loves books. I even have some brand-new books for toddlers packed away just awaiting a grand-child some time in the future. I guess for now I'm just going entertain my inner-child with some new books on that day. Have a great weekend!

Darla said...

Fabulous idea! I will have to borrow a child... :-)
Oh, the days of Nancy Drew...I couldn't get enough of her...I wonder if I would enjoy them now that I'm way older?! LOL
I like the convenience of my Kindle or iPad, but I do have to say that most of my books are still in paper form, and even some of the Kindle ones end up duplicated (i.e. getting the paper copy as well). The best of both worlds!
When I was single, I moved quite a bit, cris-crossing the country a few times, loading boxes of books in the little u-haul trailer ... and not much else! LOL

Stella Jones said...

It's a great idea isn't it because not everyone visits a bookstore on a weekly basis as part of their week's activities. Larry will tell you that even at my advanced age, I must visit Borders every week when in America to see what's new and check up on what's already there. I find if you visit every week, you pick up on the subtle changes they make and it is much more interesting.
When I was a child, growing up in the 50's in England, I used to love going to the bookshop with my mum and dad. Since I was an only child, I was not short of books. I can remember loving the Rupert series, The Secret Seven, Famous Five and then the series of adventures like The River of Adventure etc.
Now I have a new grandchild and he already has a bookshelf and some books on it. Can you guess what they are? Well he has Roald Dahl (it'll be a while before he appreciates that), Thomas the Tank Engine series and Winnie the Pooh. That's not bad for a start is it.
I don't have a child to take to a bookstore but I could find one in there and buy them a book. That might bring a few smiles.

jennyfreckles said...

Oh, I loved books as a kid - but I had to get mine from the public library. Some weekends I would get through a whole pile and go back for more! Reading can be a joy for a child - good to encourage them.

NCmountainwoman said...

Great idea. We have boxes of the books our children had when they were young. Seems to be the one thing both of them want.

Marilyn & Jeff said...

Fabulous idea! I know I would have loved to have been taken to a bookshop and being told I could buy a book when I was young - still would!

Vicki Lane said...

I really think that there's something about ownership and getting to choose that make this a special treat. And a nice way to have a conversation about books with a/your child.

Miss_Yves said...

Great idea and pleasant pictures!