Each year the Red Balloon Bookshop offers the community the opportunity to purchase books for children in local shelters - and they match the dollars spent. Our sons like choosing their favorites, hoping another reader will love the books as much as they do. They always pick The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (in hardcover, just like we have it), The Wednesday Wars (one of our all-time favorite books), and Each Peach Pear Plum (which all of us memorized when they were little). This year my husband's colleagues joined in the experience, and we purchased a whole table of books for kids to read and cherish. We chose books we love to give (The Best Pet of All, Mercy Watson to the Rescue, Because of Winn-Dixie), funny books (The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, Rrralph, Monkey With a Tool Belt), classic stories (The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel), and so many others we love, all the while imagining them being held in another's hands and read again and again.
What a terrific endeavor!
ReplyDeletethis post makes me smile. thank you.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a great idea. I'm on the lookout for something similar in Santa Rosa, CA.
ReplyDeleteI hope other bookstores do this, Laurie! It is a wonderful way to share the love of reading and so good for promoting independent bookstores.
ReplyDeleteYour sons favorites are mine, too!
ReplyDeleteMy friend Gary's place of employment has a gift drive each year, and Gary always buys children's books. He asks me for suggestions, then goes to the Red Balloon to fill his list.
And I am greatly honored to have BEST PET on your list of giving titles!