How to Build Your Children's Book Collection on a Dime

Earlier this year in all of our pajama-ed glory . . .

When my first daughter was born five years ago, we owned less than fifteen picture books. Nothing special but not too shabby for a household without kids. Today we have six or seven large shelves (and multiple baskets) dedicated to picture books. Even better, nearly all of these books are actually worth owning and are read on a very regular basis. What can I say? We're readers.

I do believe in the library and, as I was informed on a recent visit there, we are actually the heaviest users of our neighborhood library. No joke. At any given point in time we have anywhere from sixty to one hundred books checked out. But that's still not a substitute for a robust home library (when it comes to children's books, at least). I'm very picky about which books I buy, and I very rarely buy a book that hasn't been test driven in my living room first. After all, I don't just want books filling my shelves; I want high quality books that will be a pleasure for the kids (and me!) to read again and again and again and . . . oh what's that? Again.

But we all know books can be expensive, and building a fine collection of children's books can be daunting. As someone in the publishing industry, I'm in a bit of a spot here. I want to support authors and publishers by buying books. That's hugely important. In fact, I should just be telling you to run to your local bookstore and stock up. But I also know that it isn't realistic for most young families to do that. So instead, I'm going to share some tips for building up your collection as inexpensively as possible. And then maybe you'll be better able to splurge on those really amazing picture books that you haven't been able to find at a discount--that's definitely worth doing too.

Violet reading to Jacob in his crib, back when he couldn't move around

1. Search for used books at consignment shops, thrift stores, and bookstores. These types of shops are my number one source for acquiring new (and by "new" I suppose I mean "used") books. The best stores to visit will of course vary wildly from place to place. You have to get to know the prices in your area and figure out which stores will reliably have a good selection. Even regular bookstores will often sell used books at a steeply discounted rate, although in my experience, consignment shops and thrift stores will generally be cheaper. The books you find at these stores will most likely be in awesome condition. My price point at these stores is usually 50 cents per book.

2. Watch for library book sales. Not all libraries have book sales, and not all of them have good ones. But I'm lucky enough to live near a library that does. During the year, children's books cost 50 cents for paperback and $1 for hardcover. Every summer, however, they have a clearance sale where you can fill up a grocery bag with as many books as you want for $3 total. Amazing. I can't even tell you how many high-quality books I've gotten this way for as little as 10 cents each.

3. Ask for books as gifts. If someone asks what your children want for birthdays or Christmas or Columbus Day, don't hesitate to ask for books! We've always lucked out and gotten amazing books as gifts. Books are sure to be a gift that kids will use again and again, and we are so thankful for the ones that have been gifted to us. Gift cards to bookstores are also amazingly fun.

4. Take advantage of the Scholastic book order. If your kids are too small to be in school, which they just might be if you're really trying to bulk up your picture book collection, ask a teacher or a friend if you can order through their classroom. This is a great way to acquire both the classics and some of the top names in children's literature. As you get more familiar with the book order, you'll start to learn which authors commonly appear there and you can plan your purchases accordingly.

5. Get board books at TJ Maxx. It can be really difficult to get inexpensive board books, so if that's what you're in the market for, your first stop should absolutely be TJ Maxx. They consistently have a great selection of board books for much less than the cover price. You can always find Sandra Boynton and Eric Carle books there. This is also one of your only options for getting cheaper Dr. Seuss books; otherwise they hardly ever go on sale, and they are absolutely never in the book order. Make sure you inspect the books closely to see if there are any bumps or dings, and ask for a discount if you find anything. TJ Maxx is generally very good at discounting damaged merchandise.

6. Look at warehouse stores, such as Sam's Club or Costco. Just keep your eye on the book tables at these stores. Most of the time their children's books honestly aren't any cheaper, particularly if you're buying individual books. But often they will have packs or sets of books for an awesome price, and that's when you should strike. Just be careful---sometimes they will sell smaller versions of books that are hard to read because they are just shrunk down, rather than being typeset specifically for the smaller book size. As long as you actually look at the books first you should be fine.

7. Participate in summer reading programs at your local library. Once again this can vary dramatically from library to library, but we have really lucked out in this department. Every summer our library gives out prizes for reading. Last summer we got 16 free books as a reward for logging the reading that we do all the time anyway. Brand new, top quality books! Make sure you see what your library is up to next summer.

Like with any shopping, the trick is to know what a good price is so you know when something is actually a good deal. I'd love to hear any other tricks you use to get books at a good price. Happy reading!