Spin Off - Where Did You Get All Your Books??

[SunflowerMama]

The bookcase thread got me thinking.

Where do you get all your books? I have quite a few but would like more. I typically hit the library a few times a month to stock up on books that are related to our theme. My only problem is finding all the library books when it's time to return them .

They get all mixed in with my other books or my girls take them up to their room and I find them under the bed:: or in their closet. I'm a member of Children's Book Club so when I was starting up I purchased a lot of the more traditional preschool books from there but it was pretty expensive.

I always keep my eye open for craigslist ads selling books and hit the thrift store but they are always hit or miss.

Does anyone have any other good sources for buying lots of books?

[Meeko]

I had a lot from when my own children were little...but wanted more. I looked on E-Bay and found a closing day care was selling a ton for just pennies. I got about 100 books for $15....it was amazing. A great big box came and I think I had to throw about 4 away, but the rest were in good shape. We're still using them!

[TBird]

No tips on buying books but there are always parents in our neighborhood looking to get rid of their kids old books.....we've gotten encyclopedia sets, audio sets, workbooks, etc. Maybe you could identify some preteens & teens in your area and I'll bet you'll find some parents looking to get rid of a TON of "crap" as they might call it...GOLD we call it!!!

[SilverSabre25]

I struggle with it too. I get a lot of ours from Half-Price Books (but that's so hit-or-miss, and it's hard to find titles if you don't know the author). Some from Once Upon a Child, but again, it's hard because there, they are not organized at all and it takes a lot of time.

Kohl's is good because of their "Kohl's Cares about Kids" or whatever it is, where they have HARDCOVER (!!!) copies of popular titles for $5 apiece. I just bought 3 Eric Carle books from there. It's awesome! I don't know how often they switch which books they're offering though.

Other than that, most of our books are Christmas presents/birthday presents for DD and I mooch off of my sister's kids' school book order (but usually they are paper backs...) or I just **** it up and buy them new (which hurts the wallet).

[blueclouds29]

I have 3 book shelves down in my basement FULL of kid books not including the 50 toddler board books that are up here in the play room. I usually got my books at garage sales. Just random books to that in years i thought the kids would like. I also did scholastic book sale at school all the time. They have $1 books. But mostly garage sales, that's where most of them came from. Last year i hit a house where a teacher was selling ALL her reading books! There were all good ones too! I bought like a huge box of them!
I love kid books. Right now i have WAY to many though, but i still keep buying more!

[Pammie]

I've collected most of mine from garage sales and thrift stores.

But when I need books on a certain theme or topic, I order from readingwarehouse.com - their prices are great and shipping is really fast:-) They even have "bargain boxes" that are 25 books for $50 by age group. It's always a surprise what books you'll get, but I've never been disappointed in the selection>

[Meyou]

I have every book I ever owned from my childhood. I adored books even then.

I also flea market and yard sale often. You'd be surprised the number of people that have a book of books for sale at $1 each who will give you the whole box for $15 or $20 just to get rid of it. I've gotten beautiful condition books this way.

Another good one is the school book orders for kids if you get them. Lots of deals if you have a good look through those every month.

[countrymom]

scholastics
garage sales
thrift stores
dollar stores

[MyAngels]

Mostly garage sales. Everybody I know knows I run a daycare and they're always bringing me their finds. I have several big totes of books that I rotate in and out of current use.

[Cat Herder]

I have been collecting them for over 20 years...but the local libraries often has shelves out front of discarded books for the taking, so I check that frequently.

I bet I have about 80 great hardback, fully illustrated, books that I got that way.

[DCMom]

I use Scholastic frequently and I offer parent ordering to my parents; I've gotten many of my hardcover books using points from parent ordering.

Thrift stores and Half Price Books for hard cover books. Often you can find them barely used. I agree with Silver, that Kohls Cares for Kids is a great deal for $5. Ebay or craigslist; there are always people looking to get rid of kids books.

[My Lil' Monkeys]

I get my daycare books (board books) as I have toddlers from my local library that does a book sale once a year... it's fill a bag for $3 and fill a big box for $5 - I've walked out with a box stuff full of brand new looking books for my daycare and my own boys. That is when I also go threw the books we have and donate any books that really don't get looked at. I also have another library near me that just had a book sale (they do twice a year) and it was fill a grocery brown paper bag for $2. My dck were sooo happy!!

[Blackcat31]

I do Scholastic every month...can't beat books for $1. No minimum orders and lots of choices plus you earn reward points rediculously quickly that you can use for more books or classroom equipment.

Our library has a free book room where people can dump unwanted books so I look there often. Also parents donate unwanted books to me too.

I also do the Kohls books, but I have to say I do buy the stuffed animals for my dog (LOL!! ) because they make super dog toys and for $5 you can't go wrong.

[Crystal]

Scholastic, Kohls, library sales, and from my families. LOVE Scholastic and Kohs. I get most of my books through scholastic for free with my bonus points. My parents order every month.....one time I got 76 books for free with bonus points!

[My Lil' Monkeys]

How do you sign up to receive Scholastic at your house? Around here I can only get it if I'm a teacher and it's sent to a school.