Favorite bookstore for kids?
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- August
- 29
Before I became a mom, most of my book shopping was done online. I would read a book review, make a note of the title and add it to my Amazon.com basket when I had a moment. Or, even better, when I lived just two blocks from the library in Larchmont, I ordered books using the Westchester County Library System’s excellent online tools. My strategies are changing now that I have Pumpkin to shop for, too.
I’m finding that it’s fun to browse in the children’s section and figure out which books are Pumpkin’s favorites by how long she lingers with each title. And because so much of the enjoyment of children’s books is in the illustrations, it’s helpful to see them (and in the case of tactile books, feel them) to judge.
So far, we’ve mostly patronized the Borders in Mount Kisco because it’s convenient, but I thrilled to learn about a new bookstore designed with kids in mind that just opened this past spring. My colleague, Barbara Livingston Nackman, writes a new Larchmont shop called The Voracious Reader, in her Book by Book blog. The store’s owner, Francine Lucidon, told Barbara that she wants the store to be a nurturing hub that will inspire a new generation of readers. We will definitely be checking it out! (Plus, it’s a great excuse to visit Larchmont, which I still miss after moving away four years ago. I’ll also use the trip as a chance to eat at Stanz Cafe on Chatsworth, which makes the most amazing sandwich with chicken salad, raisins and apples on sourdough baguette.)
What about you other moms and dads? Any favorite strategies for finding books for your kids?
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, August 29th, 2007 at 10:15 pm by Julie Moran Alterio.
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The monkey butt loves Barnes & Noble at the Palisades Mall; mostly because it usually has a Thomas the Train set-up in the children’s section. It also has a “stage” of sorts, where he’ll sit and read. It has the typical selection of children’s books; the sale section occasionally makes it worth it.
His fav bookplace in the world, however, is the Ossining Library. He generally asks at least once a day if we can go; the children’s section is just his speed, and he LOVES to sit with mommy as we go through car magazines in the adult magazine section. He gets to ride the elevator when we go to the top level for “mommy’s” books and enjoys going back down the steps. The windows have awesome views, and between car watching, flag spotting and looking for fire engines he could stay there all day.
Funny enough, we have been “warned” once while sitting there; a librarian informed us the section was for adults to read quietly. I informed her we read there at least once a week and no one had ever complained (he is pretty good at whispering, although occasionally he’ll get excited when he sees “our car” in one of the magazines). No one has said anything to us since. Twas the only negative in a summer’s worth of visits; we usually have an awesome time.
However, the librarians as a whole have been great. We are going though a period where monkey butt is afraid of loud noises. I asked a librarian if she had any recommendations; she came back with an armful of books! I find asking the librarians for recommendations has been exceptionally successful.
And I’m looking forward to checking out The Voracious Reader; would be nice to see a children’s book store that carries something other then Dora, Disney and Dr Suess; don’t get me wrong, we love them, but how about something new and different for a change?
Alli