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AIBU?

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Original poster

To expect a school book fair to sell books!

43 replies

takingiteasy · 07/03/2012 15:37

As part of World Book Day our school has one of those scholastic travelling book fair things in it this week. They come every so often, think it's maybe twice a year. Our books usually come from the library, charity shops, amazon - I rarely pay full price for a book. However I don't mind doing so at the book fair, it helps the school out, DS thinks it's exciting and there is nothing quite like a new book.

Anyway, we're just back and what a load of rubbish! At least 5 different Lego 'books' were for sale. £6 for a book with no words, just stickers and a Lego man. Moshi Monster postcards, Hello Kitty Sticker books, Ben 10 'activity' books, Club Penguin and the like. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what the kids will be drawn too. Don't get me wrong there were some real books there like Flat Stanley, The Lighthouse Keeper etc, but when they are up against the characters of the day they don't stand a chance!

I ended up buying two books, I agreed to the Lego one as he's got reward chart points banked for a treat and I still wanted him to get a 'real' book (Flat Stanley - oh yeah!) but there were loads of parents in arguments with their LO's (Infant school age) over what they were allowed. Surely there's a time and place for activity books and sticker books but book fairs in schools should be about 'proper' books in my opinion!

OP posts:
nickelhasababy · 07/03/2012 15:38

hmm.
as a bookshop, i wish book fairs wouldn't go to schools at all.

have you go a local bookshop you could support instead?

(yanbu on this point though)

Sittinginthesun · 07/03/2012 15:40

Just been to ours, to show willing. Spent the minimum I could without the dcs noticing.

Original poster
takingiteasy · 07/03/2012 15:41

We don't actually have a book shop local, the only one I can think of is in another town and really expensive. We consume a lot of books which is why the library and charity shops are our friends for me as well. If I'm buying new it's usually of amazon. I love the smell of a new book! I used to work in a library and loved it when new deliveries came in.

OP posts:
fuzzpig · 07/03/2012 15:43

We had the scholastic fair a few months back. Again I went because DD hardly ever gets a new book, same reasons as you - and while I was very disappointed at the lack of choice it didn't seem quite as dire as you suggest. There were a few 'normal' books although a lot of them were branded character ones.

In the end DD chose a letter magnet one which she used to practise decoding words, so not all bad.

fuzzpig · 07/03/2012 15:44

I work in a library and love the new books we get. It's a bit distracting Blush

NotaStatistic · 07/03/2012 15:44

I remember those they used to sell proper books. I agree those lego ones aren't books...books should have words and stories in them

startail · 07/03/2012 15:53

YANBU
There is an increasing amount of utter rubbish at ours.
Nothing at all good for Y5/Y6

BupcakesandCunting · 07/03/2012 15:56

YANBU

Went to DS's last week and it was shocking. There wasn't one book there that looked any good to me. There were plenty that looked appealing to him though: Horrid Henry Joke book, Lego books, sticker books... load of shite.

I went to the local charity shop on the same day and bought him six decent books for £2.60!

Original poster
takingiteasy · 07/03/2012 15:58

fuzzpig Do you fan through them inhaling that new book smell?!

OP posts:
Dancergirl · 07/03/2012 16:04

I do see your point but I think the idea is to get kids reading and that really means anything. I suppose I'm lucky in a way that my dds all love reading, it's never a chore for them, always a pleasure. But talking to other mums, some kids really don't read anything and they would love them to read something no matter what it is!

Just because they go for the character books doesn't mean they'll always want to read them. It's just to kick-start the reading habit. It's very easy to judge these sorts of books if your dc are keen readers; just spare a thought for those who aren't.

halcyondays · 07/03/2012 16:08

What's wrong with sticker books?

Original poster
takingiteasy · 07/03/2012 16:13

Oh I agree Dancergirl, any book is better than no book, I'll always argue that. Same with newspapers. My DH is very dyslexic and doesn't read books at all but will flick through and read a paper every lunch time, it's just a shame it's the Sun! I'd rather people read the back of the cornflakes packet than nothing. But some of these books don't even have words!

I just think book fairs are a captive audience and a great time to promote books. The kids are excited about going, if you take them you're pretty much saying you're going to buy them something. If there wasn't the choice of Ben 10 or Lego they would choose a proper book. I think it's a missed oppertunity of getting books into houses.

Although in saying that the price is restrictive. We got the £1 token and I was under the impression there were going to be £1 books there but there wasn't. I think that's a missed oppertunity to make sure every child can get a book.

I think it's a shame the free book schemes (I'm assuming they are UK wide and not just Scotland? Bookstart?) stops so young.

OP posts:
fuzzpig · 07/03/2012 16:14

Smell the books? Can't say I do, OP you nutter Hmm

:o

I may give that a go, personally I'm more into the pictures...

Original poster
takingiteasy · 07/03/2012 16:15

I miss that smell!

Yes, I am a nutter :(

OP posts:
Hulababy · 07/03/2012 16:19

DD had one of these fairs the other day, along with the vouchers. But they did have the £1 books there too.

I didn't go to this one but DD did and I have been to them in the past. Ours has primarily "real" books although on a variety of subjects inc stories, jokes, non fiction, etc. and only a handful of sticker book type ones. DD got a story book and a joke book - her choice, I wasn't there - and used her voucher to get me a Where's Wally £1 book as it is my class's topic this half term.

PeanutButterChocolate · 07/03/2012 16:28

We had a Scholastic book fair here too last week. You are absolutely right; it was a load of JUNK. After much wailing and gnashing of teeth, I spent $40 on a Lego comic, two Star Wars 3D books and a Dear Dumb Diary book for DD. Oh, and we got a free stuffed kitten for our patronage.

I love the idea; the kids get really excited about going but I think they need to re-think some of their offerings. I'd rather just donate $40 to the school library than spend it on 3D picture books with no words.

fuzzpig · 07/03/2012 16:33

I don't particularly fan through them either TBH, especially the glossy textbook types - I get really dry hands so the pages feel weird and make me shudder (ok now I'm a nutter)

HelloShitty · 07/03/2012 16:36

I'm a school librarian and I stopped using Scholastic for book fairs years ago. Their stock is useless and very poor value for money. They also give the schools a really poor deal compared to other companies. Unfortunately they seem to have a bit of a monopoly.

PeanutButterChocolate · 07/03/2012 16:38

Hello-do you know if Usborne do book fairs for schools? I'm always really happy with their stuff. Scholastic sometimes carries some of their products but never at the bookfairs.

HelloShitty · 07/03/2012 16:44

PeanutButterChocolate - AFAIK Usborne is run on a franchise basis. In my experience it's usually mums who have a car full of books and do all the local fetes, etc. I'm sure they'd come into schools, but I don't know how you'd contact them. I agree their books are excellent.

PeanutButterChocolate · 07/03/2012 16:45

That's what I thought. Thanks Smile

hophophippidtyhop · 07/03/2012 16:56

I'm just in the middle of helping the school with a cake and book sale - we've asked parents to donate any good condition books, and we're going to sell them alongside cakes. So far it's been a good response, we figured any that don't sell we can give to several local charity shops.

pengymum · 07/03/2012 17:14

I used to do Usborne a while back. If you want them to come along to the school and do a sale, just give them a call or send an email from their Usborne for Schools website and they will get an Organiser to contact you.

They do good discount rates for schools. The books are lovely but if you only want a few, try The Bookpeople or Bananas as they have really good offers/prices.

MuddlingMackem · 07/03/2012 17:15

PeanutButterChocolate

Yes, Usborne reps will do bookfairs. I'm one and am desperately trying to break through the Scholastic stranglehold that exists round here, no luck so far though. Sad If you don't already have an Usborne contact, if you want you can message me with your town and I can ask in the division I'm a member of to see if there is anyone from there near you.

What was particularly galling was that as a parent who helps out I ended up helping at my kids' school's Scholastic bookfair last year. Argh!

PS The whole feel of new books is wonderful, I love opening up a delivery of an order. Of course, the musty smell of really old books is fab too. Grin

DarrowbyEightFive · 07/03/2012 18:33

What really annoys me at our school book fair (not run by Scholastic - it's a couple of guys selling grossly overpriced Book People editions) is that the kids are allowed to look in on their breaks and put aside books they want. So of course they come to us at the end of the day pleading to be allowed to have Book A at B price, and of course it's something wildly expensive and yet unsuitable. Then we're put in the 'bad parent' position of having to refuse. Bah!

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