How many books does your child have?

[UndertheCedartree]

I was putting away the books my DC got for their birthdays (a couple of months ago!) and took off the shelf some that were too young or had been read but I didn't think they would read again etc.

I can't help but think they have tonnes of books! I remember as a child having probably less than a quarter of what they have and read them over and over. Not sure they have ever re-read a book! They have 2 shelves each packed with books plus another 20 odd books on another shelf (tall ones that don't fit in bookcase). My DS also has a couple of big Trofast bins filled with books he has bought (as he is very precious about his books and doesn't like anyone touching them!) And that's only fiction they have a shelf each of non-fiction downstairs! My DD also reads books on her Kindle and has all the Mallory Towers, all the Worst Witch and various others on there.

My DS is a book worm and DD is getting really into reading now too. They are 14 and 9. I know some people say 'you can never have enough books' - I don't really agree with this - I only have a small house so there has to be some limits! And the library is always there.

Interested to hear how many books your DC have and if you set any limits?

My 5 year old probably has hundreds, we pass on ones he grows out of. A mixture of fiction and non fiction. I also use the library extensively for his reading schemes as he is racing 18 months ahead in his reading abilities. I am an avid reader/book collector so it's not a surprise

Hundreds. DD(14)
I sometimes buy them second hand in an ecological effort.
And I sell some of hers on, but she won't part with most of them.
I generally get the school recommended ones from the library, because I'm not sure how much she'll enjoy them.

DS17 is an avid reader, but still never found the need to keep hundreds of books... if he wants to re-read, he just borrows them form the library again, pick sup at charity shop etc.

When the eldest was about 14 I stopped buying more books and we had a massive clear out (he had over 1000) - he was allowed to keep 100 of them and any more were bought on the kindle.

Youngest (18) has zero books - he hates reading. I'll buy him the odd book these days but unfortunately he hasn't picked up on my love of reading.

Mine definitely re-read - I’m sure DS reads everything at least twice and they’re both serial re-readers of favourites.

Our collection hasn’t cost too much. Charity shops often have 5 for £1 and you can nearly always find 5! I do get rid of them, I’m not precious but they genuinely want to keep the majority so we keep them. They’ll get passed on at some point.

Hundreds, upstairs and downstairs. I like the library look!

@poshme - wow that is a lot! You must have a lot of space. How many of them have they actually read?

I have to say I do have lots of books but I tend to pass on novels unless I really think I will read it again. Probably less so non-fiction but I do try and limit to what we can fit in our small house!

Hundreds and hundreds, no limits on books in this house! (They do watch plenty of tv too so I’m not claiming perfect parenting by any means).

Hundreds. Thankfully ds has a younger cousin so we pass them on.

About two tall bookcases, we have a good selection of non-fiction and a lot of fiction. I would say our fiction collection has doubled in since the start of lockdown one, I used to be quite strict with 'one in, one out' but didn't have the heart to do that when every other bloody thing was cancelled!

Nothing makes me happier than seeing my child engrossed in a book they are clearly loving though.

@YoutubeZoom - yes, I like discussing books with my DS too!

@SlothinSpirit - yes, I remember us having lots of tea parties! Books are so hard to resist but for me I know we don't have lots of storage so need to reign it in! We have Kindle Fires and picture books do look pretty good on them if you wanted a few more stories without the need for storage!

@GravityFalls - books have been the main present my DS has asked for a few years now. He has specific books he wants, though so I can't get them from a charity shop. I can't really get 2nd hand either as if they are not in mint condition he gets very upset. He usually devours the ones he has chosen in a few days and then starts on the ones I have chosen for him.

I agree that you can never have too many books. Alas my husband doesn’t and after the fourth move said he wasn’t moving all of my books again....So we got rid of most of them. My revenge is buying a billion books for the kids.

@User5827372728 - that sounds great.
@Carboholic - it's funny that even though I love books I just can't look at loads on open shelves. It is too stimulating I think because I'm Autistic.

DS is 3 and I've read a book to him every single night since being about 8mths (we used board books/baby books etc from birth too)
He's probably got a couple of hundred.

DD is 5mths and has got mostly his hand me downs and some sets of her own so maybe another 50-70ish.

I have a full shelf downstairs of mostly first/early edition classics that are my pride and joy.

I love books so much (English Literature graduate)

OP they read all the time.

When the summer reading challenge comes round they've usually completed it in a few days.

DS (16) still reads avidly. His form
Tutor said he'd never met a boy who reads as much.
(Obvs he also spends hours playing crap games online)

@CoodleMoodle - we had a few of the That's not my... lovely books. Mr Men I never got on with reading to them. I find them very wordy. I also never liked the way horrible things were done to them as some kind of punishment for their moral failings! Not the thing I wanted to encourage in my DC!

There were 6000 books in my parents’ house, half of them belonged to my siblings and I.

DS was going the same way averaging a book a week until he was 8, then Xbox moved in and he is only reading about 6 a year

I would say however that it is never a good thing to keep books you would never read again. Better to let them flow to be enjoyed for other people rather than becoming clutter to deal with.

I’m just had a full of them. My children are 5yrs and 2yrs and we have some where between 200 to 300 children’s books ranging from ‘That’s not my witch, rabbit, kitchen blender to early reader, Julia Donaldson style picture books to the Hobbit and other chapters books.

@Newmumatlast

My daughter isn't yet too and has over 100. Easily 120. Books are one thing I don't set a limit on but I will donate once she outgrow. I had loads of books as a child and it helped me massively

I have had to limit as we just can't store anymore! I didn't have many books but can't say it held me back in any way. I was a complete book worm and read loads from the library and reread the ones I had over and over! Out of interest in what way would you say it helped you?

@Jujujuly - me too! Love that they still let me read to them every night. I still do all the voices and they think it's hysterical!

So many. Bookcases in the bedrooms and other rooms in the house. We try to visit the library more and use a kindle now too for books they don't mind returning/not having on a shelf.

Hundreds of real books and hundreds on kindle!

An embarrassing amount of books here. And ds does re read his favourites. Dd is starting to pick up some of his books as well.

Dc2 and dc6 have hundreds and I use the request function at the library to pick up 10 or so new ones most weeks.

@Rosebel

My daughter's both love reading. No sure how many books but they have 3 bookcases between them and piles of books next to the bookcase. My son is only one and has possibly 10 books. They all reread their books but I also love reading and have 2 bookcases so that's probably why I don't mind. I think reading is a good skill but I'm probably biased just because the kids (15 and 13) love it so much. Much better than staring at a screen IMO.

I agree it is a good skill and my favourite thing to do. I'm just not sure more books = better reading skill. I mean I had very few compared to my kids but had very good reading comprehension, went to Grammar etc. Compared to the number of books others are saying they have my 2 seem to have less than the average but both have high 'reading ages' and love reading.