I went a little crazy today. Although I've gone crazier before.
I went to a library book sale. Not just ANY library book sale. THE library book sale at Glastonbury's Public Library. They hold a gigantic sale twice a year, and I've gone for the past three or four years now. BOTH times.
You would be amazed. People line the streets and sidewalks around the ample front yard of the library, yearning to get their fingers on the stacks and boxes of books packing the entire space. The children's books are lined up in copy paper boxes at least 18 boxes long and probably 14 rows deep! That's a lot of picture and chapter books!
Nine o'clock and the crowd surges forward. Suddenly you find yourself kneeling in front of a box of books, blindly grabbing Maisy, Eric Carle, Boynton, and shoving them willy-nilly into your bag. Don't stop to see if you really want them, because if you hesitate they'll be gone! Just look for interesting covers, favorite authors, familiar titles! You flip through titles with one hand, keep your balance with the other. People step over you to get to another box, and you often ask permission to switch spots with your neighbor. Kids are everywhere, and you hear parents saying, "You already have that title at home," or "You can only shop for 5 more minutes, and then we're leaving!"
The books are in like-new condition, and the variety is astounding - Usborne, DK, Scholastic... recent releases, classics, fiction, non-fiction... a book lover's smorgasbord. (Oh, and this is just the children's section! The adult section is 3 times larger!). Nothing is organized in the children's boxes, so you're likely to find Spiderwick Series in the same box as Sheila Rae the Brave (which I bought today!)
I flip through titles in one box, keeping an eye on people flipping through boxes on either side and across from me. Can't let a good title slip through my fingers. I hear someone tell their friend, "Let me know if you see any McClosky books," and I smile secretly, knowing two of those treasures are buried in my bag.
I hear a boy say he's looking for Hot Wheels books, when suddenly, one appears in my box as I'm frantically flipping like a file clerk... I pull it out triumphantly and hand it across the aisle to people I don't know, but who must be kindred spirits! Mom and son grin with delight and say thank you - I LOVE finding books for strangers I searching next to me! (It's a fun kind of eavesdropping!).
I drag my rolling cart overflowing with books under a shady tree, meet my other teacher friends, and do our "discards." Here's where I finally read a few pages of each book to determine if it's what I'm looking for. Sadly, I have to let some go back to their boxes to be loved by another reader, because I am afraid of the final cost (and if my bookshelves will handle the strain!).
Amazingly, my huge stack of FIFTY-TWO children's books costs me only $20!!!! What a steal! I am once again triumphant as I load up my books and take them home to peruse with my son!
I so look forward to this bi-annual book sale. I always find such treasures! One year, I found a mint condition McGuffey Reader set like-new in the box for only $15!! That was my best find yet. Here's what I found this time:
Also in above photo, some interesting alphabet books and a counting book. I even found The Truck Book, which my son already owned but has pages missing, so I can replace it! There were also two Little House on the Prairie picture books that share single stories from the novel - how awesome! I love Little House! Boynton , Maisy, and more Carle!
My husband just raises an eyebrow at me every time I go to the sale, and when I return loaded with books. I know, we have enough books, but... can you really have TOO many books? I don't think so!
Do you visit book sales? What's been your favorite find? Do you have any of the same titles you see pictured? Can you tell I LOVE books!?
We love books! I agree, you can never have too many.
We love books! I agree, you can never have too many.
Just not possible! My favorite library is the one in Beauty & the Beast
Our daughter sees me reading a book on almost a daily basis and she is in love with books. She brings books to me several times a day and one of her favorite things to do is snuggle up on the pillows with some of her books. Her favorite bedtime one at the moment is Over the Rainbow. It comes with a CD (which I have yet to play) but they book has the lyrics and she asks me to sing it to her several times after I read/sing it.
Our local library just had a sale as well... 50 cents per inch. But nothing compared to the size or attendance of yours, that's incredible!
Just not possible! My favorite library is the one in Beauty & the Beast
Our daughter sees me reading a book on almost a daily basis and she is in love with books. She brings books to me several times a day and one of her favorite things to do is snuggle up on the pillows with some of her books. Her favorite bedtime one at the moment is Over the Rainbow. It comes with a CD (which I have yet to play) but they book has the lyrics and she asks me to sing it to her several times after I read/sing it.
Our local library just had a sale as well... 50 cents per inch. But nothing compared to the size or attendance of yours, that's incredible!
Oh this is an awesome post! I would have to say there is NEVER enough books! The sale looks like so much fun. My sister, Mom and I would have a a blast. Books are like gold around here and we LOVE books! You look like you found some great ones. I love Babar! The ocean, animals and bug ones look like they will be fun to read to your son. My favorite find for myself is a book of poems that was publisher in the late 60s. It has a hand written inscription that reads "Dear Friend, Though we are miles apart dont forget I am there with a prayer in my heart." I love it! I have no idea who it was for but I find it inspiring at times.
Plus I have a book from the late 1800s that is a double page hand painted color kids book by the woman that who helped create public kindergartens. I treasure it! Both are yard sale finds.
I could go on forever about books! lol I love them too!
Oh this is an awesome post! I would have to say there is NEVER enough books! The sale looks like so much fun. My sister, Mom and I would have a a blast. Books are like gold around here and we LOVE books! You look like you found some great ones. I love Babar! The ocean, animals and bug ones look like they will be fun to read to your son. My favorite find for myself is a book of poems that was publisher in the late 60s. It has a hand written inscription that reads "Dear Friend, Though we are miles apart dont forget I am there with a prayer in my heart." I love it! I have no idea who it was for but I find it inspiring at times.
Plus I have a book from the late 1800s that is a double page hand painted color kids book by the woman that who helped create public kindergartens. I treasure it! Both are yard sale finds.
I could go on forever about books! lol I love them too!
I'd LOVE to find a sale like that. I can't wait to have a house again...so I can fill it up with glorious books! 🙂
I'd LOVE to find a sale like that. I can't wait to have a house again...so I can fill it up with glorious books! 🙂
I would LOVE to go to a book sale, we don't have any around, Booo!
I would LOVE to go to a book sale, we don't have any around, Booo!
In my old neighborhood our local library had book sales about twice a year. They charged by the bagful--an old-school brown paper shopping bag cost something like $5 (can't remember exactly) no matter how full it was or what kind of books were inside. I built an entire Kindergarten classroom library and added to my own library and, after a change in teaching level, built an entire Montessori middle school library mostly with those sales. Too many books? Only when you move!
In my old neighborhood our local library had book sales about twice a year. They charged by the bagful--an old-school brown paper shopping bag cost something like $5 (can't remember exactly) no matter how full it was or what kind of books were inside. I built an entire Kindergarten classroom library and added to my own library and, after a change in teaching level, built an entire Montessori middle school library mostly with those sales. Too many books? Only when you move!
That sounds like too much fun.
We have a library in our house. So, we have a lot of books. However, it is quite full so we've started borrowing from the library. This has been great.
We have had a couple that I was so glad we did not invest our money in so it's nice to see what the kids really like and be able to send back those right away that they don't like.
I don't know if we have any of the same ones as you but we do have a pretty good selection of Boynton and Carle.
That sounds like too much fun.
We have a library in our house. So, we have a lot of books. However, it is quite full so we've started borrowing from the library. This has been great.
We have had a couple that I was so glad we did not invest our money in so it's nice to see what the kids really like and be able to send back those right away that they don't like.
I don't know if we have any of the same ones as you but we do have a pretty good selection of Boynton and Carle.
My husband would KILL me if I came home with that many books. I'm not joking. We have so many he threatens to get rid of them but I'm like you I'd buy lots more if I could! Dreaming of my house one day with a Libaray and nothing with shelves full.
I got 4 children books and a book for me today at a garage sale all for $2
I love library sales but they are ridiculously crowded and I hate crowds so I'm leary to go. But you reminded me that I need to find one in my new town.
My husband would KILL me if I came home with that many books. I'm not joking. We have so many he threatens to get rid of them but I'm like you I'd buy lots more if I could! Dreaming of my house one day with a Libaray and nothing with shelves full.
I got 4 children books and a book for me today at a garage sale all for $2
I love library sales but they are ridiculously crowded and I hate crowds so I'm leary to go. But you reminded me that I need to find one in my new town.