Where do you buy (cheap) books for children?

[Lolingokay]

I don't know where to get kids' books except for the typical places like Waterstones, Foyles or Amazon. But that can get expensive if you want to buy books regularly/for multiple children. My local charity shop has very limited options. Any advice?

World of Books are my go to :)

Facebook Marketplace for second hand option. Good for the encouragement too.

Facebay / Facebook market place?
No good at the moment but boot fairs.
Depending on how cheap you want The Works often do 10 for £10 and you can order online.

Even better - go to the library, you won’t have to pay!

The works and books 4 people (formerly the book people) have good offers on sets/box sets

The book people are good for sets. That aside I don't think books are particularly expensive anyway. Five, six quid a pop. That's not outrageous is it. They used to cost loads more relative to earnings. But now books are very good value.

Ofc some people don't have a fiver. But those people have bigger problems than buying books given that it's three quarters of an hour's work at minimum wage after tax.

When my dc were little and money was tight we loved going to the library. It was a family trip for us and best of all free.

I think the OP is looking to give rather than get into family outings. Anyway libraries now have capricious opening hours and fining systems and are often v noisy. Shame really but at least buying books is cheap.

Also, libraries sell off old stock cheap.

Have you a 'The Works' handy? (www.theworks.co.uk) Usually loads of choice.

If you get a library card you can borrow ebooks too without actually attending the library through BorrowBox.

Other than that, The Works is good but you can't guarantee they'll have the book you want or supermarkets often have 2 for £7 on all books. If you have a local market there's usually a stall somewhere in amongst all the other stalls that does secondhand books.

But a lot of it shit

Charity shops and the library (online for ebooks)

@Itisileclair

Feel like you’re coming across quite negative?

Personally I do think that £6 (or there abouts) is quite expensive for a book - especially for a child.

And who says you will get fined at the library or even have to sit in the noise?
Go in, collect a pile of books, bring home, take them back. If they’re closed you put them through the letter box.

If you have a school WhatsApp or PTA group or a local parents group on Facebook it's worth putting a call out asking if anyone has books they want rid of. We regularly do a clear out of DDs bookshelf and either send them into school or take them to the local charity shop as the resale value is really low for an individual and it just isn't worth trying to sell them on eBay or marketplace. We also sometimes do swaps with other parents at school if their kids are into similar books.

The Works has already been mentioned.
What about supermarkets?

We have one of those Free Little Libraries in our town. (It's a phone box!) It always has something for kids. Maybe there's something similar near where you live?

Thank you for the suggestions all! :)
I love libraries but I'm talking about gifting books to kids who aren't mine (I don't have children). Since most have mentioned sites which sell second hand books, are these usually good enough quality to gift? I know the children's parents are more interested in their children reading than in having brand new books, but I wouldn't want to give very heavily used things!

The works! 10 for £10

@Lolingokay I know you’ve said you’ve used Amazon but have a look at the ‘second hand’ section too on the same listings. They’re usually half the price and if you choose one that said excellent condition they (most of the time) are. If they’re listed as as new, but arrive rubbish you can get a refund.

Books2door are have lots of cheap books and box sets.

The works 10 for £10 is good for very young children but it's mainly picture books and not well known authors so some can be a bit shonky.

For older kids I'd be tempted to go for one of the collections boxes like the one below and then breaking it up, as long as you get a collection rather than a series so you're not giving someone book 5 of a series when they haven't read 1-4

www.theworks.co.uk/p/childrens-book-collections/the-puffin-classics-10-book-story-collection/9780241507131.html

Since the Book People closed I’ve used Books2Door a couple of times, but they aren’t as cheap as the Book People used to be, sadly.

I keep an eye on The Works to see what they have in, and every so often get a multi order from them for gifts if they have enough good stuff to make it worth while (you do have to be lucky; there’s decent stuff in there remaindered from good publishers, but also quite a bit of dross that isn’t worth buying).

I know Amazon are evil etc. etc., but if you do buy from them the periodic 2 for £7 offers are very good for picking up good children’s books cheaply.

I tend to draw up a list of upcoming birthdays every so often and buy a bunch of children’s gifts all at once in some of those offers. Also check eBay - you can get cheap new remaindered books on there sometimes.

Oh and I do sometimes buy multipacks off classic books like the set a pp posted just above and split them for presents - one or two of those, with some chocolates or a beanie boo/squishmallow/hair things is always a good present option!

I've bought second hand on Amazon sold as 'good as new' and they were.
Agree that super market also good for new titles. Waterstones etc often do multibuys which brings the price down

@Extragherkinsplease I think I'm just questioning why anyone would want to go to places other than bookshops for books. New books have never been cheaper relative to earnings and lots of bookshops are struggling despite that. Book clubs like usborne and books2door are MLMs with questionable practices, Amazon is fucking horrible. If someone like the OP wants to buy five or ten books a year the best thing for them to do is go to a bookshop.