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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

school book fairs

30 replies

peppajay · 25/11/2011 11:45

Just wondering what people opinions are on school book fairs. My DD is in yr 1 and it is now her 4th book fair, (her school has one a term!!) and this term I haven't given her any money. She is absolutely fuming as there is only her and one other child who haven't been given any money. The cheapest book is 4 pound and most kids are given between 5 and 10 pound. She has bought a book at all the other fairs so this is the first one that I have said no to. They are taken round the book fairs with their teachers on both days and also encouraged to go with their parents after school. There are reminders and letters around the school and in book bags for weeks preceding. She was in tears last night and it took me till 930 to get her to sleep as i am a mean money and she so wants a book!! The other 3 she has bought were looked at a few times and then put on the shelf. These book fairs don't even sell books at discounted prices I know they are making money for the school but I can't justify 3.99 for a Poppy princess book when the same book is 75p in our local book discount store. The teacher was shocked that she has no money today as everyone else is buying one. I do know there is one other child that isn't buying one. All the teacher keeps saying is how important books are to children and I know that we go to the library every saturday and get 3 books and read them and take them back the next week. We also buy several books in our book discount store.

I just feel the peer pressure towards these things is immense it is like she is being bullied by the school to buy a book.

We did the shoebox appeal last week, money spent at their christmas fair, money for mufti days and ingredients bought for several recipes I just feel that these book fairs are just an excuse for more money!!!

She is going to be so upset again after school today and I feel like a terrible mummy but she cant have everything. So my question is do other mummies give into peer pressure and give money to their child for a book???

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Seona1973 · 25/11/2011 12:29

ours only has 2 book fayres per school year (June and November) so my lo's tend to get a book from each one. I would be less likely to buy a book from each one if they were having more than 2 per year - a bit much imo!

slavetofilofax · 25/11/2011 12:40

One fair a term is quite a lot, but if it works and raises much needed money for the school, I can see why they do it.

All children have to learn that they can't have everything they want though, so this is your opportunity to do it. Can yoy tell your dd to try to still enjoy looking round the fair, and encourage her to try and remember the name of a book she likes the look of (or the picture on the cover) so that you can try and find it at the library?

roadkillbunny · 25/11/2011 12:48

We have only had two time where books were sold at school (dd is Y2), one was when an author came in a did a day of workshops with all the children and then after school we were able to go and buy from a large range of the authors books at heavily discounted prices and get them signed (we also had the option of taking an already owned book along to be signed, no pressure to buy) and the second time was when we did a book bring and buy sale, bring a few no longer wanted books in and then have the chance to buy one of the donated books for 50p.
While I wouldn't be opposed to a book fair like you describe I would massively object to the children (or the parents) being pressured to buy said books.
It sounds like the teachers are emotionally blackmailing the parents into handing over the cash and actively encouraging peer pressure in the children into begging the parents for cash. I would be rather angry about that to be honest and would probably take it up with the head, I know the pressure schools are under in regards to funding, our school has lost out big time due to the budget cuts and the PTA are having to work overtime to try and make up some of the difference but this kind of pressure is unacceptable.

startail · 25/11/2011 12:48

I'm totally fed up with them.
At least now I have only 1 DD at primary.
The last couple with both DDs there cost me a fortune and the choice for older children is dreadful.

3duracellbunnies · 25/11/2011 13:52

Ours are fortunately before and after school and I always 'forget'. We have so many books, I also get books from the book people, which are heavily discounted as opposed to full price. I would rather give them an extra couple of pounds to spend at the pta fayre when it all goes to the school, than a book fair when only a few percent do. You can't give to everything.

midnightexpress · 25/11/2011 13:57

Actually the book fairs do raise a lot for the school. The most recent one at our school made £1500 and that meant that they could spend over £900 on books for the school. Did you know that schools no longer have any obligation to even have a library, let alone to staff one?

So, personally, I'd rather give the money to them than to Amazon, even though it is more expensive. But, yes, OP, I do sympathise, because parents are asked for more and more in the way of contributions, to things like this which should (IMO) be part of a state eduction. A decent supply of books should be a fundamental part of school funding, but it isn't.

elkiedee · 25/11/2011 14:14

Cheapest book £4 sounds quite expensive. Maybe they need other ideas for fundraising/encouraging an interest in books.

Could the school do some sort of sale with donations, or look at other companies bringing books into schools with a fundraising element.

SugarAndSpiceMistletoeAndWine · 25/11/2011 14:43

When we have had book fairs through school at least 1 has tied into world book day where they get a £1 book token. The £1 books are always on sale on the book fairs too, which helps.

If children do not have any money they are allowed to look at the books and sometimes make a note of the titles. Could she do that and then you could buy them another time? Take her to the discount shop after school so she gets a book?

Alternatively one school I taught at had 'book savings' - children brought in money each week and got a stamp in their savings book. Always thought that was good as 20p a week soon mounted up and the children loved it.

Does your school do scholastic books? They are good and give money to the school whilst offering good deals.

betterwhenthesunshines · 25/11/2011 16:28

One a term is a lot (although my son's school has 2 a year, they are both in the Autumn term and I do tend to say no to one of them).

Could you maybe suggest to the school thay they drop one and have a second hand book fair instead - everyone could bring in books they had finished with, these could then be sold at 50p prices, and all the money would go to the school.

BTW you are not a mean mummy for saying NO - that's your job :o

2kidsintow · 25/11/2011 21:29

Like Sugarandspice, my DDs school hold their book fair (the only one they do) at the same time as world book day and they all have their £1 voucher to spend.

In addition, I have trained my children - whenever they are buying something - to repeat the mantra "Lets see if we can find it cheaper on the computer"

It works like a charm for mine. If they only really wanted it because it was there in front of them, they usually forget to ask again and if they did want it they can usually find it discounted online.

ibizagirl · 26/11/2011 08:31

I always found the books at the book fair to be "buy one get one free" or "3 for 2" in Waterstones so stopped buying after year 1. There were also stalls to look round at my dd's primary school where you could buy stationery and bits and bobs but this was always overpriced too and was poor quality.

Groovee · 26/11/2011 11:04

We have one once a year. Once a term is far too much as with 2 children, I couldn't afford that either.

mrz · 26/11/2011 11:44

We have one a year and prices start from 50p unfortunately I always spend far too much. We normally take the commission in books for the school library as the company doubles the value

insanityscratching · 26/11/2011 12:49

We have two per year and although children are allowed to look round during the school day all buying is done before school or after school by parents.There is no pressure to buy and prices generally start at £1.The books in general are cheaper on Amazon but I buy anyway because the school makes about £1000 to spend on books for the library.

nikon1968 · 26/11/2011 18:57

I always say pick a book and I will buy it on Amazon........................and I would tell the teacher the same thing.

We have about three a year.

MrsMojoRisin · 26/11/2011 19:52

DD's school have them but you can't send money in with your child (at least not when they're in reception) so you have to take your child personally. In school hours. When DH and I are at work....

Obviously we can't go so DD doesn't get a book and but more importantly she doesn't get to see her Mummy at school like some of the other children and she gets upset (she's only 4). This pisses me off no end.

SandStorm · 26/11/2011 19:59

I generally let DD get a book but then we only have one a year, if that.

picnicbasketcase · 26/11/2011 20:04

Exactly what nikon said - DS chose a book he wanted, which was £5.99 at the book fair, which I then bought on Amazon for £2.09. I'm sure the schools would much prefer everyone bought them there to get their cut of the money but holding a book fair during a recession and so close to Xmas - everyone's going to go for the bargain instead.

merrymonsters · 27/11/2011 08:05

I complained to our headteacher about ours. The books are at cover price (who pays cover price on books, for heaven's sake?). What did it for me was when the teachers were all using some plastic pointing fingers and getting the kids all excited about it. These were being sold for something like £2 or £2.50. I emailed the head about overpriced books being bad enough, but the children shouldn't be egged on to buy plastic crap. I didn't buy them, but I saw plenty of parents buying them. Like others, I always show the kids that the books are cheaper on Amazon or Book People.

I did notice an absence of plastic crap at the last fair and this term's one is being advertised as having some cheaper books. Complain to the headteacher. If parents don't tell him/her that they're not happy, then the head will think everyone is delighted with it.

nikon1968 · 27/11/2011 08:25

I would' nt complain because I speak to my son about this type of stuff. It is up to people what they do .........do they just follow like sheep or do they do what it right for them.

My son understood from the age of five that you can get the same book for half the price on the laptop so why would we pay more for the same thing.

The more people that goes to these type of events just encourages it.

MindtheGappp · 27/11/2011 08:44

Teach your daughter that 'I want doesn't get'.

babybrain3 · 27/11/2011 09:08

We've just had a bookfair at my dc school, and it has caused no end of problems. Personally I think the books are overpriced and poor quality. I also think they shouldn't do them this close to Christmas..

Dd an avid reader, had asked for some money- but I said I would take her myself on Friday, the day I pick her up from school as I finish early on Fridays. She came home from school on Wednesday with a book that another child's parent had bought for her! I was fuming! Who buys a book for another child without clearing it with the parent first???

Ds had not mentioned the book fair at all, he isn't particularly bothered about books so i just left it. I got a call from the school on Friday asking me to come in and reassure him that he wasn't going to be in trouble when he got home as he had broken the glasses that came in a spy set he had bought from the fair. I explained that was odd as I hadn't given him any money for the fair so wasn't aware he had a spy set. Then it transpired that he had also bought a calculator too.

When I got to the school she gave me a lecture about not giving him enough pocket money!!!!!

After speaking to ds when he got home I found out the he has been stealing money from around the house.

purepurple · 27/11/2011 09:16

DD had endless book fairs when she was in her previous school. She used to buy books because they were sparkly or had crafty bits in them. They were not really good books.
In the end I used to send her in with just a pound and she would buy pencils. notepads or erasers, which they didn't advertise in the magazines that they send home.

Bonsoir · 27/11/2011 09:18

DD went to a book fair at school last year. I was, to be honest, horrified at the rubbish that was on sale. I shall not be visiting a book fair with DD again!

3duracellbunnies · 27/11/2011 09:59

It sounds as if they are a bit stuck in a routine of having the same fundraising activities, and due to the hassling they are working, but you're probably not the only parent dissatisfied. Why not come up with some new suggestions for fundraising. (there was a thread on here a while ago with suggestions). You could even say that if they agree to drop the winter book fair for example, you will help organise a mother's day pamper night, or get a rota going so classes do monthly cake sales. They may also not realise how different the prices are, so take some examples, and ask whether the school gets all that difference.

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