To expect a school book fair to sell books!

[takingiteasy]

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!

Thanks for the advice re: Usborne. I live in Canada so don't think you'd be able to help directly but thank you for the information. I'll contact an Usborne rep in my town and see if we can get that going in our schoolScholastic definitely has a stranglehold here too. We get their book order forms on a monthly basis too and they are also filled with a lot of junk-- dubious non-books and "educational" video games etc. Grrr...

I like the idea of Usborne book fairs!

Our school are doing a second hand swap shop today, take in an old book and swap it for someone elses old book. DS is refusing to part with anything!

I want to know what happened to the mobile library.

I know they probably cut it which ever clever government it was but I really miss it.
We live in a little village and our nearest library is a 25min bus ride and buses are only every hour.
I would love them to bring back the mobile library.

DS's school doesn't do the book fair they just have the book leaflets.
Found DS a good book for £2.99 and then the £1 off with WBD voucher. I can't complain at £1.99 for a book that looks like it has a good story in it.
I think the puffin book club is a lot cheaper than book fair books many of them at DS's previous school were £5.99 etc!
Thank goodness for charity shops and amazon.

I do Usborne books too and it it really pains me that my dc's school insist on using scholastic when their books are rubbish. (Obviously a bit biased)

Swimming we still have a mobile library. It stops for 20 mins once a fortnight but is invaluable to some of those who cannot drive. There is a mobile with internet /computer that goes to the bigger villages.

We too had a Scholastic book fair recently. DS chose a Moshi Monsters book (aaaargh) but it is novel style. I chose firmly guided him towards Cool by Michael Morpurgo which was a bargain £2.99.

It was a similar story at dd's book fair, luckily I have indoctrinated her enough that she slipped out whispering "lets go somewhere else." We got a £1 special world book day book from waterstones, which she loves

I wanted ds to get a monster book, but he chose a dino paint kit.
But dd luckily gave me hope and picked the stick man board book. She is 1 and ds is 3 :)

Iseenodust

Really?? I haven't seen one since maybe the early 90's. We used to stop by it every week on the way home from primary school in the late 80's. I started high school in 1990 and don't remember seeing it much after that.

swimming a picture

my LA is East Riding!!!

That is it I am going into the offices today to demand they visit my village.

I have an appointment with DS's head teacher tomorrow too. She's Ade Edmondsons sister . I'm sure she will back my petition to get it back.

(crap just gave out too much info may have to name change again )

Our local authority has 2 mobile libraries that visit all the rural villages and goes to nurseries too.

I now have visions of Ade Edmendson in a dress...

PeanutButterChocolate

Good luck with changing to Usborne for your book fairs. :)

Our school also sends home the Scholastic leaflets every month or two. I wouldn't stop my kids buying anything from them, but they never seem to have any pocket money left when they get them.

takingiteasy

Book swap is a great idea, but my two wouldn't want to part with anything either. I'd probably end up having to get something from the charity shop that they've already got so that they could take something in.

york67

Yes, it is painful, isn't it? Unfortunately for me I can't even push Usborne's better commission rates to them as our school are in the very unusual position of having too many books; they went down from a two form to one form entry a few years ago. I think they mostly use their commission books as prizes for the children, so I can't really complain about that.

Swimming Go for it!. The more they are used the more likely to survive service cuts.

Haven't a clue who Ade's sister is or which school so cover not blown.

takeiteasy

That's exactly what she looks like but with silver hair in a bob :o

Our headteacher is Sue Barkers sister, she invites the local independent bookshop in. Who bring all their unsold overpriced Xmas annuals

We have people come to visit our work. Sometimes makeup, sometimes jewellery etc. I love it when the Book People are there and pretty much always buy something.

I just refuse to go they are so expensive I cannot believe it