So, you all know how it is – you go in to the dollar store to pick up a few reasonably-priced kitchen items and walk out with four new board books for your toddler. Or is that just me?
Yes, friends, my first trip into a dollar store in about 10 months included a bit of an unplanned book haul. I was doing a mad dash around the store, trying to get everything I needed and get out before any other customers came in while trying not to pass out due to my double masking situation, but I couldn’t resist a quick pop down the book aisle. Well, as soon as I saw these adorable vocab board books, I knew I had to give them a go – especially, the vehicles one, which I knew my vehicle-obsessed toddler would just love.
I’ll admit that these aren’t all that sturdy, and I’ve definitely picked up better quality board books for cheaper at my local bookstore’s discount table, but my toddler seems to adore them, and they are definitely cheaper than any full-price board book you’ll find at the bookstore! In the interest of full disclosure, I actually thought they were cheaper than they were – silly me, not paying attention to price tags – don’t be like me!
My local dollar store chain, Dollarama, actually has quite an extensive book section, with a lot of kids books and activity books, as well as some beautiful-looking cookbooks and an assortment of adult novels. I was certainly pleasantly surprised! I should note that Dollarama is one of those “dollar +” stores, so not every item in the store is actually $1.00, and most of the books I saw were more in the $4-$5 range (some of the cookbooks were in the $8-$10 range), which is still pretty affordable when compared to regular bookstore prices.
I’ll shout it from the rooftops – there is ZERO shame in buying books wherever you can or wherever you choose to, including from big box retailers, online booksellers and discount stores. I am a staunch believer in supporting small and local businesses where and when you can (most of our home library comes from local retailer Book Warehouse), but that doesn’t mean anyone should ever feel judged for their shopping practices. Not everyone lives in a neighborhood with an independent bookstore or even a library, and we all have different budgets. Most people have a dollar store of some kind close by, though, and if that means they can bring home a new book for their child (or for themselves!) every once in a while, that’s a wonderful thing indeed.
That is awesome that you found some fun board books at the store! I definitely agree that, if people can find books at affordable prices, they should not feel ashamed of where they buy them from. Thanks for sharing!