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From: marks@yogi.DEC
Newsgroups: net.kids
Subject: Children's Book Clubs
Message-ID: <469@decwrl.DEC.COM>
Date: Wed, 15-Jan-86 11:16:18 EST
Article-I.D.: decwrl.469
Posted: Wed Jan 15 11:16:18 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 19-Jan-86 05:34:38 EST
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>I wonder if there are any children's book clubs which are just as good
>today?  Does anyone know of any such clubs?  What was your experience
>with it?  Do you feel that children's book clubs are good value and
>provide good reading materials?  Do any of these book clubs have a
>provision where you can tell them the READING LEVEL (rather than grade
>level) of the child to obtain the proper selection?
     
My son exhibited the same terrific tendencies from about the same age.
(He is now 16 and buys his own books!)

My misgivings about book clubs for kids have to do with a couple of
things:  as you mentioned, it has been my experience that these clubs
request age of the child rather than reading level.  My son (and I'm
sure your son falls into this category as well) always read on a much
higher level than his age would have indicated (as a matter of fact,
we used to have a running battle with my mother-in-law, who was an
elementary school librarian, who insisted on sending books geared to
his "grade level" rather than his "reading level," and consistently
missed the mark -- this was a very frustrating experience for my son).
Also, when you are a book club member you have to abide by someone
else's choices.  Sometimes this can be okay; at other times, it is
highly unsatisfying.

My advice to you is to find a good book store and make a few trips
a year there with your son.  The store we used when my son was younger
(and still use now, but not on such a regular basis) was the New
England Mobile Bookfair (I don't know whether you are in the Boston
metropolitan area, but if so, this place is worth the trip).  It is
located on Needham Street in Newton (the Highland St. East exit from
Rte. 128), and from the outside looks like a real hole in the wall.
From the inside, however, you will find the largest selection of books
I have seen anywhere in the Boston area.  And they are discounted 20%
across the board.  (There is also a huge remainder room, where the
discounts are unbelievable.)  We used to go there with a couple of
hours to spare, and with some limit (either of number of books or of
total amount to be spent).  Books are arranged by publisher, and there
are copies of Books in Print for customers to use.  The kids' books are
all in one (huge) section, and kids can browse up and down the aisles
to see what catches their interest.  There is a children's hardcover
section and a children's paperback section.

Every trip to what my kids still (at ages 16 and 13) call "The Big
Bookstore" turned into a joyous and rewarding expedition, both for the
kids and for the parents, who could also get lost in this magnificent
book warehouse.  The only liability is that we always managed to run up
too big a bill (but it was worth it).

Happy hunting (and happy reading to your son, who has chosen what to
me is the greatest pastime in the world).  Perhaps there are some good
book clubs now that were not available when my kids were young.  At
any rate, try Bookfair at least once.  I don't think you (or he) will
be disappointed!

Rickey Marks