Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Take Your Child To A Bookstore Day!!!


So one of my good friends has started a NATIONAL event that is coming up on its third year... a GREAT event—designed to keep the magic of brick and mortar bookstores alive... to share it with our kids and pass it down. To instill the love that makes so many of us GIDDY faced with wall upon wall of books.

When Jenny Milchman began this quest, I loved the idea. Independent bookstores were dying and with them, the personality infused stores that felt like home to so many of us. Her idea grew to include all bookstores—because heck—what's not to love about a day immersed in books with the people we love.

The landscape has changed since last year. Borders gasped its last breath, which is a sad thing. But there is a glimmer of hope to be had—the Indie stores may be in a position to take on some of that business. I'm not saying don't participate at a Barnes and Noble—by all means, books are wonderful wherever we find them, but IF you have a local Indie, I encourage you to take your child.

Here is a cool, interactive site showing some of the past (and future) participants and there are flyers, posters and such, so if you want to encourage your local bookstore to participate, you can take them some tools! And take the time to look at the bookstores page—I wish I was more savvy and could share the map—I can't believe how hard Jenny has worked at this. YES she's had help, but she also blogged her cross country trip last summer to enlist bookstores from coast to coast, so she really had worked her butt off. (I requested she work MY butt off, but apparently there was a line, as my butt is still there)


Here is the scoop:

DATE:    December 3rd, 2011

WHERE:    You can enlist whatever bookstore you want, but take a look at the stores already involved-- 150 of them.

WHAT TO DO:    If you want to invite a bookstore to do this, DO IT. But plan to do it before Thanksgiving, as they are likely to get swamped (plus, it will be more successful if they have a chance to publicize).

Nicola's is home of the one of the book fairy families.
WHAT ELSE to DO:    Take your child to the bookstore on December 3rd—if they've planned, there may be an event—but if not, Christmas shop, read, browse.


My own plan: I have a visit to make to Nicola's, our last Ann Arbor Indie. I want to build a relationship ANYWAY (heck, I have a book release next summer) so what a great place to begin a dialog with Nicola herself.

I encourage you all to spread the word—both in your communities and on the web! Because a love of reading is definitely a legacy we want to pass on!


NOTE:  No Thursday blog... I have a class and can't visit, plus was behind on WriMo... Back Friday...

24 comments:

Trisha said...

Very cool cause indeed!!! I love bookstores and REAL books. Unfortunately here in Australia, you can't buy a book for a decent price unless it's second hand or even in the "damaged" bin. And even those are still usually more expensive than a brand new book in the U.S.! It makes me very angry.

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

I love this idea! I try to grab opportunities to take my kids to the store or library when I can, but frequently it's me doing the shopping/selecting without them (following their preferences in genre, author, etc.) I'll definitely mark this date and take them with me! :)

Jan Morrison said...

I work above a children's bookstore - the fantastic Woozle's. http://www.woozles.com/woozlesblog/ Here is their blog. I love going there but it is a tempting thing to get cash in hand from a client upstairs, saunter downstairs and SPEND it in a New York minute!
I'll ask them if they are participating - though before Christmas they are FULL so may not wish to.

Old Kitty said...

Hello upside down Hart!!

What a most NAKED idea!! Love this!!! Now off I go to find a child...!

Take care
x

Not Hannah said...

Oh, how I love this!

Hart Johnson said...

Trisha-that stinks! Why are they so expensive? I think you could do this for used book stores (I love old books--they have a sense of history to them)

Elizabeth-YAY! (yeah, I more often do it on my own, too, but I will try to get them to go)

Jan-they CAN be dangerous for a wallet of money--true, dad... I love that you have a bookstore downstairs, though!

Jenny-I'd be happy to send you one of mine.

Heather-YAY!

Creepy Query Girl said...

what a great idea for an event! Marking my calander!

ViolaNut said...

As someone who pretty much grew up in a bookstore, I love this idea. As someone who WORKS in a bookstore, it fills me with horror and trepidation... because many parents DON'T PARENT when they're in there and the kids wreak havoc and shriek and don't understand things like "playing on the escalator can in fact actually kill you" and "knocking people off stepladders is BAD" (my friend's kids' lead got knocked off by a rambunctious rugrat the other day). So by all means bring them, and encourage them to read and to love books and to buy giant heaping piles of them to take home and keep forever 'n' ever, but a quick instruction about inside voices and no running would be really nice too... Kthxbai.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I'm a child at heart - can I take myself?

mshatch said...

December 3, eh? Maybe I can combine it with Alex's excellent idea and take myself to my local bookstore - which I can walk to no less - and buy that book I've been thinking about. Thanks Hart! And Alex :)

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy said...

Hi Hart, this is a wonderful idea. I'll try to visit a bookstore on that day, even if I can't find a kiddo.

I've been scrolling down and reading all of your posts since the reality stars. I can't wait to read your book, I love the cover choice.

I hear what you are saying about bees, and your doggy is so cute. Not being allergic, I kind of felt as if it were even when I stepped on a bee when I was little, because they died. It is not even with wasps and the rest of those bad guys! I was stung this summer on the back of my knee and got ripped off of using our porch for a whole month because of those guys.

I have only driven through Grants Pass (aka: Granny's Pants). I've been to Ashland a few times and Jacksonville once that I remember. I keep tyring to get Cary to take me down that way (it is only a 2.5 hour drive for us) but he hasn't quite caught the vision yet.

Keep up the great work, and have a wonderful week!

Kathy M.

Ciara said...

What a fantastic idea! My kids LOVE the bookstore.

Hart Johnson said...

Katie-YAY! Maybe you can get it going in France!

Leanne-very good point--YES, no leaving kids unattended unless they are well behaved sit and read sorts!

Alex-YES YOU CAN!

MS-great idea to walk there! I wish mine was a little closer--I can walk there, but I doubt my kids would.

Kathy-thank you so much! Yes, I love that cover! And I wouldn't feel too bad for those bees on the ground. I think honey bees are only there when they are dying anyway. (though that hurts a lot)--I think it is wasps that like the wood--BOO wasps!.

Ciara-great! My kids are a little hit and miss, but I WANT them to love it (my son is more bookish, so I think he was come back to it)

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

I have no child. Hmmm. I feel so left out.

Johanna Garth said...

Shoot, that reminds me that Jenny put me in charge of getting Powells on board. Hmmm...I need to get on that!

Deb and Barbara said...

Love this idea! Will definitely take this one on here. Good luck, all! B

Shelly said...

My daughter and my sister both manage bookstores. My daughter's store is taking part this year, and I will let my sister know about this so they, too can be a part. Great event!

Helena said...

A world without bookstores? Can't live in it. I need my fix regularly.

T. Powell Coltrin said...

My daughter blames me for her book addiction. She has to buy a new bookcase about every other year.

What a good addiction!

PK HREZO said...

This is a fantastic idea! I shall sign up at once. :)

LynnRush said...

What a great idea. I don't have kids, but this sounds awesome. What a great way to make a memory with your child and help pass down a great thing: READING :) NICE

Liz said...

Julia (Tartling Numero Dos' contemporary) said to me as we drove up to the shiny new Dick's Sporting Goods in Tart's and My Fair City...Mom it's so SAD that Borders is gone. I agree. See you at Nicola's Tart!
Liz

CA Heaven said...

Bookstores and skistores are the only stores I visit ... voluntarily >:)

Cold As Heaven

Jenny Milchman said...

Sorry I am late getting here, everybody!! I've been looking for my butt. Just kidding--it's here--for sure. And as Hart said, it's really *everyone* who's making this Day a success. Bloggers like Hart who spread the word across the web. People like you who liked the idea. Book lovers--and bookSTORE lovers--everywhere.

Don't worry if you don't have a child in your life! True story: Someone made that point last year, and we thought of calling it Take a Child to a Bookstore Day. But then we pictured people just swooping up any available child and...bad all around.

However--adults are very welcome!!

Other true story--ViolaNut may particularly appreciate--in one bookstore we visited, the sign in the children's section read: Children left unattended will be give a double latte...and a puppy.

So, yes, watch your child, go without a child, just get ye to a bookstore, on December 3rd and as often as possible.

I will be in one buying Hart's book like the second it's released. And I hope to cross paths with many of you around books sometime in the future!