Hello, My Name Is Kimberly, And I'm A Scholasticaholic
It's here! It's here! It's here!!!!!
I'm positively giddy today. Today, in addition to the half eaten lunch and still ever so exciting agenda, the package I've been waiting for since the start of school was stuffed into Sabrina's backpack.
No, it wasn't her school photo, although that arrived too. This was better.
Today I got my first Scholastic order of the year.
I'm a huge fan of Scholastic. I don't have many vices, but those colourful catalogues are my drug of choice. I anxiously await their arrival, eager to rifle through the pages and be enticed by all the wonderful books offered at super cheap prices. Before I discovered the online bookclubs, it was a tossup whether Diva Girl would be greeted at the end of the day with "Hi! How was your day?" or "Did you get the bookclub flyers?" Now, I have my choices all picked out long before the order form comes home. It's not the same though. While I enjoy not having to wait for my fix, I do miss circling my choices. There's something about the Scholastic experience that demands sitting down with a pen and marking up the pages, circling every single book you'd like to purchase.
Looking at the overflowing bookshelves scattered throughout our apartment, most of them stocked courtesy of those pages, I have to admit that I tend to buy what I've circled more often than not. My major commitment this year is to buy more non-fiction. Last year I always felt a little guilty when I did have to whittle the order, because the resource books were always the first to be taken off the list. So many great books about the universe, ancient civilizations, math....all sacrificed in name of Arthur, Olivia, and Junie B. Jones.
I'm trying to be better this year, though; to indulge my passion for excellent children's literature and show some self restraint at the same time. Now, the rule is that Sabrina, Regan, and I each get one pick--within reason. I usually choose a board book for Regan, and Brina's choice is subject to negotiation and parental approval. In addition to those books, I order one non-fiction book.
It's a system that's working out so far. Today I pulled outHow Do Dinsaurs Play With Their Friends, How To Tame A Bully, Terry Fox: A Story of Hope, and The Book of Planets.
I may have to invest in a new planet one, though. Afterall, with Pluto's demotion, all the reference books are out of date.
And if I'm getting that, I really should finally get A Poppy is to Remember.
And the new Olivia book.
And something for Hallowe'en.
And.....Well, I'm trying.
Comments
It brings me so much joy to know that those Scholastic flyers are still around. You are right--circling choices by hand is the only way to go!
I am so jealous! I don't have any kids to bring those flyers home to me!
OK-I am a graduate student working on my MEd and everyone in my class orders from Scholastic in order to start supplying our future classrooms. It is like CHRISTMAS when the Scholastic orders come in. One friend of mine looks at them over and over until she gets tired of it, and then she spreads them out on the floor and rolls around in them. I would take "Ella Enchanted" or "Wenberly Worried" any day over a Speigal catalog!
Oh, I'm a books-for-kids junkie too. My 3.5 year old boy is learning to read now and whereas buying vast numbers of books for myself was a "problem" that I had to keep in check or I'd end up bankrupt, now I'm struggling to stop buying HIM every single lovely book I see!
Here in Edinburgh I have to pass a massive bookshop twice a day and I tell you, it's got the pull that a liquour store (we call them off-licences this side of the Atlantic) would have for an alcoholic.
That Scholastic website look fantastic - maybe just as well for my bank balance we don't have one here in Scotland!
