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?

DS11, DD9 & DD 5 - too many. DS7 not many. MIL takes DS11 & DD9 out most weekends to a little place near us and gives them a few pounds each for books in the charity shop - they come back with a couple of books and a bag of sweets each and I get a few hours peace Saturday evening!

@NoIDontWatchLoveIsland

2 & 4 and have hundreds. Probably 50+ board book types then loads more eg funny bones, julia Donaldson, little bear, mog, percy parkkeepper and the like

My DD loves Funny Bones!

My 8yr old DD has around 40 books and my 16yr old DS about 18

@RobinPenguins

Far too many. I know what you mean about re-reading a smaller number of books, my mum kept most of ours and I can remember every single one now she gets them out to read with my DC and the other grandchildren. Loads of DC’s are crap but were gifts. I need a cull.

Yes, I think it is better to have fewer quality books than tonnes of sets of rubbish books! Some of the popular series are just awful!

I didn’t own loads of books as a kid - I did have some and got armfuls from the library so wasn’t at all deprived but I didn’t have bookcases full of them. It didn’t hold me back in that I love reading and did an English degree - but I do vividly remember running out of things to read and having to go back to the same books again and again, and as my DC are also fast readers I do like them to have lots of choice. Books are easier to come by now, I can afford it and have the space so for me there’s no down side to having lots for them. But if they weren’t readers I wouldn’t bother!

I remember when I was young the library was open all the time (well, working hours) and within walking distance.

Where we live... its only open mornings Mon-Fri and a 15min drive away. So its not that much use for my book worms...

They do reread, and swap with each other. But still have hundreds. We pass unwanted ones on regularly. Buy from charity shops too.

@BrieAndChilli - the thought of all those full book shelves makes me feel panicky! I couldn't cope with such a busy scene!

I'm sure favourites get reread but if your child has hundreds and hundreds of books it would take quite a long time to reread them as well as reading all the new ones!

@britnay

Youngest (6) has 2.5 shelves of fiction books. Eldest (9) has 4 shelves of fiction books. They also have 3.5 shelves of non fiction books in the library. We live rurally and our local library is small and has a limited selection. They hardly ever have the first book in a series and the books are very mixed up in terms of child age and reading ability. Its hard to find anything suitable. We sort through books every few months and anything that they don't read anymore goes to charity shops. They both love reading and choose new books from the book shop whenever we are in the nearest city.

Your library might offer a reservation service, that way you can order the first of a series from another library. In my county it's free to do so for children's book.

@Marjoriesdoor

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).

I do sometimes think people think the more books they buy the more reading will happen! That isn't always the case! I bought mine lots at a younger age but they didn't become bookworms till 9/10 but don't really watch TV now as they are always reading! The eldest gets annoyed at having to do other things in the day!

I have no idea how many, but it's a lot and we could do with more storage for them. We also have regular clear outs of outgrown books, but both DCs are keen readers and get through a lot. DD1 will re-read chapter books once and after that they are put aside for when DD2 is ready for them (not long at the speed she's improving!). Picture books are often 'well loved' by the time they go to a new home.
I buy most second hand and sell on the old ones that are OK enough to do so, so it isn't an expensive habit, thankfully. We did try using the library, but it worked out more expensive as both DH and I are useless at remembering to return them on time!

Hundreds, great isn’t it?

@Mintjulia - my 2 have a little cousin too so we have passed some on that way too.

@BillyShears - I don't agree! For us you can have too many to fit the shelves and too many rubbish 'popular' books! And too many to be able to choose from!

DC are 12 and 14, they both have 6ft tall book shelves in their rooms, which are full. They probably have more books than I do, they love getting books as presents.

Most of the books I read myself come from the library or I buy 2nd hand and pass on once I've read them as I don't often re-read these days. DC still like to return to old favourites, it's comforting I think...

I have tweens and they have hundreds of books each and one has a kindle with hundreds of books and access to a kindle book borrowing service. We also use the library a lot.

We don't throw books aways though. Which is a problem. We have a library that's full and boxes and boxes of books in the garage.

Five DCs here. We have oooodles.

I put their childhood books away when youngest DC was into YA lit, and recently went through them. I bagged and donated hundreds, many series. I kept lots too, in hopes that future grandchildren will one day enjoy reading. I have one small billy bookcase full of children's books now, and a shelf about a metre long on another bookcase.

I don't think I had anything close to thar number of books as a child. We went to the library every Saturday and I took out the maximum 2 books and devoured them during the week.

I’ve not counted. I would guess nearing a hundred if not more. He’s 7.

We’re huge readers here. My husband and I own several thousand between us (not counting the kindle books).

@poshme - mine read all the time too and my DD has finished the Summer Reading challenge already! She was the first to sign up and the first to move onto the sparkly board! 😄 First time this has happened as she has just taken off with her reading over the last year. I have to say my DS plays his console a bit but isn't into online games. Luckily he is home educated otherwise he'd be the kid trying to read his novel in a boring lesson! I just couldn't imagine having the room for that many books! It seemed quite overwhelming to me! But whatever works for you and your bookworms

@Dollpiglet - I have done that in the past - should try again.

Less than 50. I realise she never wants to read a book twice so we go to the library instead. We get 10 books every 2 weeks so I reckon she reads 300 new books every year. That way I’m not always buying.
We’ve almost read all the books for her age group so we’ll start exploring another library soon.

@Kanaloa - sounds great. My DD has started picking up some books in the charity shop. As mentioned above my Autistic boy can't cope with books not being in very good condition so can't really do charity shops for him.

Daughter and son have around 25 each at a given time.
We donate books read unless they are particular books they want to keep and read again but both particularly like reading new books rather than repeat them.

The only ones really youngest has kept is the faraway tree and worse witch books.

They get a new book every Friday and donate one their old ones every Friday.

@GravityFalls - yes, that's the thing you can get books so much cheaper now I do get them lots. And other people buy them for them too. My problem is lack of storage so I do have to have some limits!

Hundreds. The ones in good condition (including recent non fiction) that are no longer wanted go to the primary school library as their collection is very underfunded. We also donate to our village hall as they sell second hand books for 50p to raise funds.

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

I remember when I was young the library was open all the time (well, working hours) and within walking distance.

Where we live... its only open mornings Mon-Fri and a 15min drive away. So its not that much use for my book worms...

They do reread, and swap with each other. But still have hundreds. We pass unwanted ones on regularly. Buy from charity shops too.

Ah, we are lucky to have a branch library 5min walk away and then a big library in town 5 min drive away. Not great as you say for bookworms if they have no library access - only mornings Mon - Fri is crazy!

I'm an early years teacher and did my master's thesis on children's books and the importance of read alouds so I have been buying my future children books when I was still single. I have bought hundreds over the years to read to my classes which have now been put in my children's libraries. I couldn't pick a favourite but the Owl Babies always tugs my heart!
Thankfully my children have inherited my love of books.
My best recommendation is books without words for young children. They love making up the story and it is so interesting to see how their mind works.