In mid-March 2023 news came out that Scholastic had altered text in some books from R.L. Stine’s very popular Goosebumps series. The issue is that this occurred without telling him or the buyers of his books. A lot of parents are now wondering where else they can buy children’s books, especially when they have mostly purchased from Scholastic via the book fairs and take-home flyers.
I am with you. I’ve been buying from Scholastic for 40+ years, but I feel like the trust I had in Scholastic is pretty much gone at the moment. If you’re feeling that way too, I want you to know there are LOTS of other publishers of children’s books and PLENTY of places where you can get your children’s books.
In fact, this situation presents a great opportunity to discover A LOT of other places you can get GREAT books for your kids. Because Scholastic is NOT the only place to get kids books. You’re gonna feel great about it and it’s going to be fantastic.
So put your unhappy feelings and worries about Scholastic aside, and go shopping! Oh and by the way, these are my honest recommendations, they are not paid endorsements, and I do not receive any commissions or free books or any other financial incentive to recommend these options. Enjoy!
A Few FYI’s About This List
This article is currently in development. Due to the high level of interest in this topic, I am publishing an intro list, and I expect to add to it for the next week or two. People are looking for options right now, so I opted to publish an intro list first, and it will build over the next week or so.
You may notice I’m not including Amazon on this list. They are a great source for books but everyone knows about them already :). My goal with this list is to give you some other options you may not have thought of.
I also am not including Target, because as best I can tell their children’s book section is mostly a duplicate of the current Scholastic book fair – which tells me there is a partnership with Scholastic and Scholastic is the primary supplier for their kids book section. Keep an eye on Target as they might make a shift in the next year depending on the reaction to this Scholastic issue.
The places to buy books are listed in alphabetical order (not in order of preference).
If you would like to know more about this situation with Scholastic go here and here. More to come as this is a developing situation. The act of changing text in a book is something that does happen in publishing – so the changing of the text is not the issue here; the problem is the changing of text without telling the author, without the author’s approval (the author holds the copyright by the way), and without telling the buying public. For now all I can say is it is a weird choice for Scholastic. Goosebumps is the second best-selling series that they publish, just after the Harry Potter books. I am not sure why they would take this risk, and it has raised the question of what other books has this happened with. The situation has deep-reaching impacts and raises many questions about Scholastic, their business practices, and ethics. Particularly as one of the main publishers of books for children.
Barefoot Books
Barefoot Books is a small, independent publisher of children’s books. Founded in 1992 they are woman-owned and publish titles exclusively for children aged babies to around 10-12 years. They have a strong focus on bringing us stories from around the world, pairing those stories with the best illustrations possible, testing their books with children, and producing high quality books that will last a lifetime. They are one of the publishers you can buy from directly since they sell their books on their website. Their website includes a lot of free resources so be sure to nose around to see what you find. Their sing-along stories, the card deck Yoga Kids, and their Build-a-Story Cards are used widely in preschools, day cares, kindergartens, and early childhood education centers.
Books-A-Million (BAM)
Also referred to as BAM, Books-A-Million stores replaced Borders when that company went bankrupt. One of the really nice things about BAM stores is that they include used books on their shelves. These books are priced lower than new books, and they afford you, the shopper, a nice opportunity to discover books that are out of print. Let me tell you, there are some really awesome books that are not in current circulation. Excellent for in-store browsing and online purchases.
The Good and the Beautiful
The Good and the Beautiful provides curriculum, books, and games mostly for the homeschooling community. But just because you don’t homeschool doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take advantage of what this publisher has to offer. The business is the brain-child of singer Jenny Phillips, and this is a faith-based business. Even if you don’t share their particular brand of faith, I believe you will be pleased by what you find on their website. Buy books and games at their Library. Options to expand learning are available in their Supplementing School section. Buy curriculum for homeschool in their Homeschool Curriculum. Online purchases only unless you live in Utah where they are based.
Little Free Library
Never underestimate the value and quality of a free book. Find the Little Free Libraries in your community and see what you can discover on their shelves! The key to success with Little Free Libraries is to visit many, and to visit often. Each library is managed by a steward. Each steward is different. Plus the patrons leave books behind as well. Thus the contents of Little Free Libraries vary widely and change daily. Many Little Free Libraries choose to be listed on the public database. Others are in people’s private yards and can only be discovered by keeping your eyes peeled for these quaint miniature box buildings. Still others are not registered officially with Little Free Library. Those are known as “Sharing Boxes” and function basically the same (they might also have food or other items in them). Be sure to contribute to the sharing market by bringing unwanted books from your home to leave behind in these boxes.
Local Library
Remember to use your local library! One technique that works great is to visit the local library on a regular basis. Weekly, monthly, something like that. Take a big bag with you and let your kids check out anything and everything that interests them. See what they really enjoy. Then you can take it to the next level and get them what I call “their very own copy.” Libraries are a great way to peruse what’s available and discover the books kids want to read and reread.
Thrift Books
ThriftBooks.com is one of my most favorite places to buy books. Please note that you can buy both new and used books from them. It’s a great source for books that are out of print, for hardback first editions (which often include extra features, will last longer, and when bought used are affordable), and for both new and used books at great prices. My dollars go much further at Thrift Books than at many other book sellers. When we want a lot of books – say a series, or we fall in love with a particular publisher – Thrift Books is usually the place I turn to for the books I want. Case in point, last fall I wanted to explore books published by Barefoot Books in the 1990’s and early 2000’s. This was very easy to do using Thrift Books.
Usborne Books
Usborne Books sells a wide variety of books for children. Like Barefoot Books, they focus specifically on kids and they have a larger selection and cover more topics than Barefoot Books does. You’ll find fiction and non-fiction, activity books, academic support books, and more. I use a lot of their non-fiction and activity books in homeschool education.
How to Buy Books at Libraries