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?

Our house always had an insane number of books when I was little. I had two short bookcases and a 6ft bookcase as a child, and then my parents had another 3 bookcases, I think all 200cm tall, and then we went to the library and I used to get out 10-20 books a week.

I read from the moment I woke up to the moment I went to bed. As an adult I'm down to about 1 and a bit tall bookcases worth, but that's only thanks to a) having had a kindle for a decade at least now and b) having a library with convenient opening hours and a free reservation service and a good free ebooks service.

@SkankingMopoke

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!

Did they fine you for books on a child's library card? No fines here for children.

@DGFB - not if you don't have the room for them all!!!

When I moved house I gave away over 2000. I kept a few series that I thought the kids would grow into.

Lots, and DS is only 2. I would never limit how many books he has.

We’re also members of the local library and pre-covid used to borrow books once a fortnight.

I’m not hugely keen on threads like this, as they turn competitive very quickly and can make parents without much money for books etc feel bad. So I’d like to plug local libraries - free to join and usually no fines for overdue books if they’re borrowed by children. Often they show films too and do free baby groups - a great place to go if you want a free outing.

@ChocolateCakeYum - wow several thousand!! Where do you keep them all?! I would describe myself as an avid reader but I simply don't have the space for many books! But I suppose these days with a Kindle it doesn't hold you back plus a good library and a friend to swap books with!

Around 200 and I’ve just given about 50 away

@switswoo81 - Owl babies was a favourite of ours! Your thesis sounds interesting - what age group did it encompass? As an Early Years teacher do you find there is a balance between variety of choice and overwhelm of too much choice with books?

[quote UndertheCedartree]@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![/quote]
It’s just one wall in the study - and really that’s what studies are for!!

3 shelves are DHs collectible graphic superhero novels, several shelves are DS1s map books, he has some beautifully illustrated ones! I have lots of cool books, DH also has all the Terry Prattchet books so that’s a couple of books.

In the past week alone DS2 age 10 has asked for the Jurassic park novel (which we used to have but don’t so will order it for him) and DD age 12 has watched Little Women and wants to read the book which I have 2 copies of - a paperback and also a very very old version that was my great aunts.

We only keep loved books, classics, useful books or sentimental ones, chick lit/holiday type books that you only read once get given away generally although there are a few we haven’t gotten round to reading yet.
Both me and DH were total book worms when we were kids. I would take 10 books out the library and read them in a week!
DS1 age 14 is also a total book work although he prefers factual books and is oncessed with maps and geopolitics. His favourite Christmas present when he was 9 was ‘Transit maps of the world’. DD likes to read fiction more and devours books like I did.

@Gladioli23 - that's my son reading from the moment he wakes up to the moment he sleeps. Luckily he is home educated as school would just get in the way of reading!

We have frankly a fucking stupid amount that we neither want or need 🤦🏻‍♀️

They have a library card :)

Ds2(15) & ds3(11) have scores, if not hundreds of books between them.

Ds1(17), A level English student, has about a dozen.

I have hundreds and a Kindle with a similar amount.

All of my kids absolutely LOVED the richard scary books when they were little, we had the ones which were just scenes with word labels on as well as more ‘storybook’ones. They always loved finding funny things in the pictures.

I think I had fewer books than my children but I used to read way more than them. I often spent the whole afternoon and entire weekend days reading; something they never do. They only read before bed or in the car, even though they are good readers.

@VestaTilley - what if you ran out of storage, though? Surely there is a limit somewhere?! I hope anyone reading wouldn't feel bad as I have said the higher the number of books does not equal higher reading ability. The most important thing is enjoying books with your children from any source. Younger ones love the same ones over and over!

I started the thread to see how others manage their books particularly with avid readers but a small house. But turns out most don't seem to have that problem!! But I've enjoyed the chat about books!

One of the things on my list of reasons why I need a bigger house is so we can fit in more bookshelves, mostly for the DC. We have 3 between toddler & 10yrs so need a massive range of books. 10yo basically inhales books & likes to read them over & over so we constantly need new ones to stretch his ability but also can't get rid of any in case he wants to read them. This includes books the toddler has grown out of - DS just never knows when he might want to read the baby books again...

@BrieAndChilli - I guess so - lucky I don't have a study! It's not that I wouldn't want the books just not on open shelving! My DS has quite eclectic taste. Unfortunately it often means they haven't a clue what he's going on about at the library!

@PitchImperfect - my DD has to keep all the baby books for her dolls!

My DCs have a shocking amount of books. They have bookshelves in each of their rooms and one in the playroom and then there are books littered about everywhere else 😂 they're 2 and 3.
We love good a story in our house!

Between them easily over 1000. Almost as many as me 😁 You can never have too many books!

Probably less than 10. They’re young teens now and don’t read books. I got rid of books as they outgrew them. The ones we have now are special books that will probably never get opened again bitt have some sentimental significance.

Yup. Although they were cheap in comparison to the charges on the children's CDs. I still haven't forgotten (or forgiven!) when DH asked if I could drop a few Mr Tumble-type CDs back whilst I was in town. He failed to mention they were overdue. The fines were more than the CDs would have cost new! I stick to 50p - £1 in the charity shop/FB Marketplace now, or maybe £3/4 (posted) from eBay if I want something in particular.

@AlwaysColdHands

Hundreds - easily 500, maybe a lot more. Ages 2 and 7. And we are at the library every few weeks I was exactly the same as a child I desperately hope they never lose their love for books!

Well, you know one can love books and reading and not need to own lots of physical books... Not everyone has the space.

eleventy billion