Okay, I added the “yourself” part, ’cause why should kids have all the fun on National Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day? This Saturday, December 5, run, walk, drive, bike, take the bus or subway or a rickshaw, but get yourself to your favorite bookstore, a REAL bookstore made of, and filled with, REAL materials of bricks and mortar and wood and paper. The only “virtual” things on the premises of these stores are the dreams their books kindle in children’s heads. And I do mean kindle, not Kindle.
Could there be a better National Day, especially in this terrible season of random violence? Books + Children = Hope. I can’t say it better than that.
Here’s the bookstore I’ll be taking myself to this Saturday, A Book For All Seasons in the sweet town of Leavenworth, WA.
Could there be a more adorable bookstore to take your child to?
Gotta admit, though, I won’t be taking a child. But I will be signing books for other people’s children! And, since I finally got sent the photo from the Chanticleer Review Awards Banquet from a couple of months ago, this seems like a legitimate place to visually brag on my book, The Flying Burgowski. Here she is, winning Best Contemporary YA Novel:
I know, the picture’s me. But the prize is for my book!h
And while I’m sending shout outs to myself, here’s one for my own local bookstore, Lopez Bookshop: I love you guys!
So, everyone on board? Show some love to your local bookstore–and a child or two–this Saturday!
Wing's World 
Thanks for the shout-out to Lopez Bookshop! We were delighted to learn from you about “Take Your Child to A Bookstore Day!” As it happens, we’ll be hosting award-winning children’s book author, Bonny Becker, who will lead a story time at 10 AM on Dec. 5th!
And congratulations on your award for “The Flying Burgowski.” Have fun at A Book for All Seasons.
Thanks, Iris. I was delighted to discover this “official day” myself. Easy to promote!
Sorry I’ve been so AWOL, Gretchen. Novel in progress. This is a fun post! I had no idea this was an “official” day. Congrats again on your award. I remember your post about considering whether or not to go receive it and had wondered what you decided to do. That is a pic and an honor worth bragging on!
Thank you, Michelle!
Bookstores? Yes!! Lopez Bookstore and Elliott Bay are both magical places, my favs…
🙂
Gretchen, please let me add my congratulations on your award! And thank you so much for being a Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day footsoldier in beautiful Leavenworth, WA and at Lopez Books too–my, I hope I can visit both some day. You have the message behind the Day perfectly. In conversation I always say, Take your own child, a child you love, or the child within yourself to a bookstore.
If we ever get to meet, I’ll tell you the funny reason we didn’t call the Day “Take *a* Child to a Bookstore” 🙂
Have fun signing today!
Thank YOU, Jenny, for (I presume) helping to start this tradition! I would love to hear that story. Snowy conditions on the mountain pass are actually preventing me from getting to Leavenworth today, but I’ll take my inner child back to my home book store. And I do hope you make it out here one day! Happy NTYCTABD!