We have a half sized Billy in T's room, a fullsized Billy in the sitting room, and a shelf in our room. I got annoyed with the shelf and decided to clear off a shelf in my office for outgrown but still sentimental picture books, and put all the picture books in a big pile for T to sort. I need to do the chapter books, I've got a better sense of what Teddy will read (myths, dragons, adventured) and won't read (cutesy anthromorphised animal stories).
My August project (let's be honest, my September project for a visiting grandma) is to get all the series together so they are more accessible.
Last year, we organised a book swap at the school for WBD so I do tend to hang onto them to donate en masse, unless we have a friend who would be particularly interested in a topic or would be keen on a book.
I have a friend who used to scatter picture books on the sofa in the morning so her kids would have to at least touch them and consider reading before watching TV or getting cozy on the couch with an iPad! There are some great ideas in this post, Sarah. I'm often passing books along to friends with younger kids or to Kindergarten teachers before I consider selling or putting them in a LFL.
Yes! Strewing! It's such an easy way (costs nothing, you don't have to have any kind of special furniture -- sometimes I just prop them up against a bookcase or the couch) to get books in front of kids.
We have started back to school and this post made me feel better about all my book piles throughout the house! We have a whole wall of built in shelving in my boys’ room so I’m hesitant to put any more furniture in there but I think a forward facing bookshelf might be nice next to our book chairs in the living room. I personally read on the couch a lot and we have a side table where I stack books that are currently in rotation for the last 2-3 weeks and have a book bin under that table as well. Boys have a tote of books that goes with us on trips because they say it’s easier to get them out of the tote than their backpacks.
This is the first year my 7 yo is allowed to check out multiple books for more than 2 weeks at school and he’s very excited. My 5 yo had media special on his first day of school and I was glad to see him excited about going to the school library!
I love our front-facing shelf so much that even after my kiddos age out of it -- or leave our house, whichever comes first -- I plan on using it for my own books. Why not? Books are my biggest decoration anyway, I might as well enjoying looking at the covers of ones I rarely see because they're always on a shelf.
Offering books to your kids teacher! Clutch! Such a great idea. I really want to figure out how to put an outward facing bookshelf in our house to rotate titles! Our house is a squash and a squeeze but it seems it’s a worthwhile endeavor. Great post!!
Get creative! It doesn't have to be a front-facing *shelf* -- think of all the spots where you could prop up a book with its face facing out. Against the back of the couch or a chair? Along the baseboards in a hallway? Against your kids' pillows on their beds?
Big, BIG fan of the passed along books. There’s something extra magical to me about snuggling up to a book I know has been read by you and your sweets kids in the same exact way. And I’m dedicated to paying it forward to the other young families in my life ❤️
My process is similar, though I’ve never had a face out shelf. Always wanted one though! Also, sometimes I’ll buy used copies of books we’ve loved so that I can give them away to kids who visit (usually nieces or nephews).
Oh wow I’m going to need these tips. Things are already getting out of control! The other problem is just remembering to check my OWN private picture book collection once in a while so I can pass on the age-appropriate ones to my kids and not accidentally horde them for myself!
The timing of this is so wonderful, we have been re-working some spaces as we have entered a new phase, the youngest child is no longer a threat to books (although we do call her the bookmark caper because if she sees a bookmark she will pull it out of your book in a second). I also love this because i am always nosy about how people set up their spaces. Thank you Sarah!
I like your front-facing bookshelf. Kids can easily forget about books if they can't see them. Also, children's books are just beautiful to look at. I love the idea of displaying them more prominently.
I also appreciated how you discuss what to do with books we've outgrown. I agree that Little Free Libraries are a great solution--except I have to leave my neighborhood or my kids will see their books and want them back, or if they don't realize what is up, shout, "Hey, we have that book too!"
Do you keep a lot of books for nostalgic reasons? Sometimes it's just so hard to let go. My mom kept everything--and this seems like too much, but some books are just so hard to let go.
I keep tons of books for nostalgic reasons. One of the greatest gifts of my life was the books my mom kept — and I kept — from my own childhood. I can’t keep everything— it’s not feasible, nor do I even want to — but I keep the titles I want to keep and figure if I change my mind in the future, I can always pass them on then.
We have a half sized Billy in T's room, a fullsized Billy in the sitting room, and a shelf in our room. I got annoyed with the shelf and decided to clear off a shelf in my office for outgrown but still sentimental picture books, and put all the picture books in a big pile for T to sort. I need to do the chapter books, I've got a better sense of what Teddy will read (myths, dragons, adventured) and won't read (cutesy anthromorphised animal stories).
My August project (let's be honest, my September project for a visiting grandma) is to get all the series together so they are more accessible.
Last year, we organised a book swap at the school for WBD so I do tend to hang onto them to donate en masse, unless we have a friend who would be particularly interested in a topic or would be keen on a book.
This made me smile so much. YES to leaving books around to discover. Like gold
I have a friend who used to scatter picture books on the sofa in the morning so her kids would have to at least touch them and consider reading before watching TV or getting cozy on the couch with an iPad! There are some great ideas in this post, Sarah. I'm often passing books along to friends with younger kids or to Kindergarten teachers before I consider selling or putting them in a LFL.
Yes! Strewing! It's such an easy way (costs nothing, you don't have to have any kind of special furniture -- sometimes I just prop them up against a bookcase or the couch) to get books in front of kids.
We have started back to school and this post made me feel better about all my book piles throughout the house! We have a whole wall of built in shelving in my boys’ room so I’m hesitant to put any more furniture in there but I think a forward facing bookshelf might be nice next to our book chairs in the living room. I personally read on the couch a lot and we have a side table where I stack books that are currently in rotation for the last 2-3 weeks and have a book bin under that table as well. Boys have a tote of books that goes with us on trips because they say it’s easier to get them out of the tote than their backpacks.
This is the first year my 7 yo is allowed to check out multiple books for more than 2 weeks at school and he’s very excited. My 5 yo had media special on his first day of school and I was glad to see him excited about going to the school library!
I love our front-facing shelf so much that even after my kiddos age out of it -- or leave our house, whichever comes first -- I plan on using it for my own books. Why not? Books are my biggest decoration anyway, I might as well enjoying looking at the covers of ones I rarely see because they're always on a shelf.
Oh my, that last line!!!!!!!!! "as our lives change, so do our books, and maybe, as our books change, so do our lives." I mean, GOLD.
Thank you 🙏
Offering books to your kids teacher! Clutch! Such a great idea. I really want to figure out how to put an outward facing bookshelf in our house to rotate titles! Our house is a squash and a squeeze but it seems it’s a worthwhile endeavor. Great post!!
Get creative! It doesn't have to be a front-facing *shelf* -- think of all the spots where you could prop up a book with its face facing out. Against the back of the couch or a chair? Along the baseboards in a hallway? Against your kids' pillows on their beds?
Big, BIG fan of the passed along books. There’s something extra magical to me about snuggling up to a book I know has been read by you and your sweets kids in the same exact way. And I’m dedicated to paying it forward to the other young families in my life ❤️
😘🩷
Love this! That front-facing shelf is amazing.
My process is similar, though I’ve never had a face out shelf. Always wanted one though! Also, sometimes I’ll buy used copies of books we’ve loved so that I can give them away to kids who visit (usually nieces or nephews).
I love that idea!
I'd love to come visit and find surprise book piles in every nook and cranny.
I would have one waiting for you 😘
Oh wow I’m going to need these tips. Things are already getting out of control! The other problem is just remembering to check my OWN private picture book collection once in a while so I can pass on the age-appropriate ones to my kids and not accidentally horde them for myself!
The timing of this is so wonderful, we have been re-working some spaces as we have entered a new phase, the youngest child is no longer a threat to books (although we do call her the bookmark caper because if she sees a bookmark she will pull it out of your book in a second). I also love this because i am always nosy about how people set up their spaces. Thank you Sarah!
I like your front-facing bookshelf. Kids can easily forget about books if they can't see them. Also, children's books are just beautiful to look at. I love the idea of displaying them more prominently.
I also appreciated how you discuss what to do with books we've outgrown. I agree that Little Free Libraries are a great solution--except I have to leave my neighborhood or my kids will see their books and want them back, or if they don't realize what is up, shout, "Hey, we have that book too!"
Do you keep a lot of books for nostalgic reasons? Sometimes it's just so hard to let go. My mom kept everything--and this seems like too much, but some books are just so hard to let go.
I keep tons of books for nostalgic reasons. One of the greatest gifts of my life was the books my mom kept — and I kept — from my own childhood. I can’t keep everything— it’s not feasible, nor do I even want to — but I keep the titles I want to keep and figure if I change my mind in the future, I can always pass them on then.