Where do you buy physical books for your kids?

[tabegle]

My daughter has recently really gotten into a series of books (we are reading them to her). I've checked them out from the library, but she really wants to own some. Where do you buy books? Do you pay retail? Or are there deals somewhere? I've checked ebay, and after shipping everything ends up only about $1 cheaper than brand new, I've checked half.com, but shipping kills the deal. Even when purchasing multiple items from the same seller.

So, tell me. What do you do?

[squimp]

I support our local bookstores. I love going into the bookstore and seeing the books, having them order a book for me. One of our stores does reselling so we gather up all the books DD has already read and sell those. Then she uses the money to buy more books. I also shop amazon if I am buying a lot of books or am too busy.

[Fairy]

Barnes & Noble. I give them my money whenever I can over Amazon. I just love their store and want them not to go under. I have the discount card, so that helps.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I hardly buy any books anymore (I use the library) but when I have or do buy I either do Target, B&N or Amazon. Alas, our independent book store is gone.

[Tenasparkl]

Some amazon, some barnes and noble, some even at Target. I was able to get most of the Magic Tree House books that she is currently into from Better World Books during that great sale.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I also really love when my library holds their annual book sale! Tons of cheap stuff! One library has a whole section of stuff for sale all the time. Garage sales...

[jenstring95]

We get most of our books from Half Price Books, Amazon and Scholastic. Lately, though, we have used our local library. DS reads so much and so fast that it stopped making sense to buy our books once he got beyond the stage of re-reading them (picture books).

[ourbabygirl]

Yeah, ditto the Better World Books or Amazon for online, or Half-price books (and occasionally Goodwill) for used books that I want to see and buy right away, in person. There have been some other good used book websites I've purchased from in the past few years, but I can't remember them right now (try doing a search in the Bargains forum).

[rlu]

I also really love when my library holds their annual book sale! Tons of cheap stuff! One library has a whole section of stuff for sale all the time. Garage sales...

Same here, plus there is a used book store somewhat nearby. We also get b&n gift cards every Christmas that we use to buy gifts for others and any books DS wants. He tends to buy Big Nate or Wimpy Kid books whereas we use the library (and my sister's home library of juv books - she's a teacher-librarian) heavily for one-time reading.

eta: we do buy him books at the end-of-year school book sale where the books are BOGO free.

[shweethart]

Library sale, half priced books/local used book store, amazon

[alirebco]

Friends of the library book sale, Amazon, B&N, Target.

[Pennylane]

Half price books or amazon is where I purchase most of mine. I also try to go to the Scholastic warehouse sale twice a year.

Ann

[Smillow]

For anyone traveling up or down I-81 in Virginia there is the Green Valley Book Fair (http://www.gvbookfair.com/) (exit 240). They are open for 2 week periods six times a year. The next sale starts August 17th. They have tons of books at great prices. It's dangerous how low the prices are. I bought tons of board books for DS when he was smaller. Now we mostly use the library. I also go through the books at the thrift store.

[brittone2]

-library book sales, although where I am now these are not as great as in my last hometown.

-a great used book store that is part of a large local thrift store. They occupy 70% or so of a strip mall, and there's an entire store devoted to used books. I find a lot of fantastic stuff there, and they have half off days pretty frequently. It is fairly organized as well. We have also found some great deals on audiobooks.

In my last hometown the goodwill had excellent books. I had a favorite store for books, a different fav for used kid clothes, etc. I don't have goodwill nearby currently, and my local salva'sl book selection is pretty bad. But the little independent thrift store that has an all-book store makes up for it. Totally fantastic.

-amazon for new or used. B&N once in a blue moon.

We use the library heavily (multiple library systems) and use Gutenberg, etc. for a lot of ebooks.

[cuca_]

Barnes & Noble. I give them my money whenever I can over Amazon. I just love their store and want them not to go under. I have the discount card, so that helps.

:yeahthat:

[ett]

Library book sales, thrift stores, Amazon. I used to buy a lot of books from Borders with their coupons.

[pomegranate]

Mostly Amazon. Sometimes B&N and the local bookstore if we're there. Also, Scholastic book fairs at DS' school.

[baymom]

Our library has a room of books they sell (used), so we buy there. Also, B & N, Amazon and an independently owned shop by our house. I will often order from Scholastic through their school. But, with that said, we have really cut back on buying books and rely heavily on the library.

[Momit]

Better World Books! They are having a sale today, seems like they do one every few weeks, 30% off 3 or more books. I've picked up tons of Magic Treehouse and Geronimo Stilton lately. I'm almost always pleased with the condition but sometimes one is a little more used than they said. The prices and selection are great. Other than that - library sales, Goodwill, yard sales. I buy very few new books anymore.

[anonomom]

B&N, Amazon, and the local used book stores. For a town as big and as educated as the one I live in, there's an embarrassing dearth of book stores.

Chronicle books is up on Plum District right now, $14.xx for $40 using the coupon code at the top of the home page. Just check to see if Chronicle sells any books you like. I'm using my voucher to buy DD1 all of the Ivy & Beans, because they're hard to find at the library. Shipping is $5 up to a $25 purchase, and I believe free over $25.

ETA: I take it back. The Chronicle voucher looks to be good only on personalized items. I wish that had been clear on the purchase page. Grr.

[crl]

Scholastic book orders and local bookstore. Amazon if I want something in particular or need it before I can get to a store.

Catherine

[inmypjs]

If I am looking for a specific book, I like Alibris, Abebooks, Betterworldbooks, or Half.com. So many used books are a fraction of the cost of new and still in great shape.

I check the book sections of thrift stores pretty regularly. I've found like new copies of so many kids books, for .89 each! I've actually been keeping a stash and then am giving them to friends having a baby (close enough who don't mind used). There are also a couple of annual and semi annual book sales in my town and I go to those.

[swissair81]

Since Borders closed it's been mostly Amazon. Our local B&N is a good 30 minutes drive from my house. I did notice a new Books A Million open in one of the old Borders spots near me (the other two have been taken over by a Buy Buy Baby and a Walgreens) and I'm hoping to support them as much as I can. I will probably still use Amazon for harder to find books and when I can't get out of the house so easily, but I'm excited to have a new bookstore here.

[truly scrumptious]

Better World Books. Their used stuff is really reasonable and it's for a good cause! I've put in three orders there and always been happy with what I got.