On the way, while driving back home from Dhruv’s Phonics class.
I am thinking of dropping by the bookstore today? It has been days since we have gone there. What do you think? Shall we?
Oh yes, Mummy. I think we must go.
At the bookstore, both of us made an entry heading straight for the shelf which houses the books of our interest. Dhruv found his book, asked me if we can buy it, I gave a nod, he gave me a contending smile. He went to the sitting area to look into his book, while I sat down to scan the shelf.
Scan. Scan. Scan.
Soon, the books from the shelf began piling up on my lap. Dhruv saw what I was upto. He came to remind me that we should buy only 2 books and leave soon trying to inject some sensibility into my head. A 5 year old is capable of doing this, injecting sense into his mother’s crazy brain, if he has been privy to her (spoken aloud) meditation and self-counselling sessions relevant to book buying syndrome. I assured him that I was just looking which one is more interesting.
Then came time to place them back in the shelf.
Emily Gravett, you have to go back. Oliver Jeffers, you too. Rebecca Cobb, I like you but you too will have to go back. Andrea Beaty, William Bee, Quentin Blake…..you too, all of you. Kazuno Kohara, you are going home.
My mind started conversing with the authors. In an attempt to save face from all of them, I turned my back on them. I handed over Kazuno Kohara to Dhruv with a squealing excitement and a “Look, Look.” He looked at the books in his hand, told me they were 2. That meant it was time to leave. I moved the stool to the next shelf, full of Indian publications. He lost faith in me and got interested in a little boy, leaving me alone.
Aha!! Hindi picture books, we must read Hindi books too. Picked up 4.
It was time to take a stroll around in the room. A book about books and library is the most interesting of all. Turned it over. The left brain said, “Keep it back. It will drill a big hole in your pocket.” The right brain countered and won, with the book landing up on the billing table.
Don’t ask me how much it added up to be? The price that I pay is much less than the priceless pleasure I derive. This is a choice I made.
You might have an idea what we did next upon reaching home? Read them all in the very first hour. Dhruv’s favourite is Kazuno Kohara‘s Little Wizard out of all and we must have read it atleast 10 times till today morning since the time we got it on Saturday evening. Remember! We do not have a functioning TV.
Linking this post to #MondayMusings hosted by Corinne Rodrigues and Microblog Mondays hosted at Stirrup Queens
Do you have any tips on how to get young kids interested in book reading? Loved your post because I suffer from book buying syndrome as well
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Reading aloud to them everyday works the most to get them interested. If one is just beginning, one should start with the book of kid’s interest. When I began it was all about cars and trucks. Next came dinosaurs.
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Oh I do the same thing – online now! But a bookstore has its own magic, doesn’t it?
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Online is good for discounts but spending time in a bookstore amongst the books, exploring the illustrations in picture books is magical. The whole experience makes it worth purchasing the books at actual price.
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Haha I loved this..don’t worry you are not one of a kind.. I ended up buying 17 books this friday..17! Because I’ll be at my parents’ for a month and they don’t have wifi for me to update my kindle..but 17 , which I don’t think I’ll be able to finish all anyways in 30days time 🙈🙈
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I am glad I have people for company 😀 17 books in 30 days is a way big deal for me. Tell me, are you thinking of packing all 17 of them in your suitcase for travel? How far do you have to go?
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I think I too suffer this syndrome. Wonderful post as usual, Anamika !!!
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Since I got my kindle the book buying sprees have reached new heights. You see a book, you use net banking to pay for it and voila the book is on your Kindle in minutes. It’s addictive and so so not nice. I know what you mean – it’s crazily expensive.
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Book stores always give fresh feeling…a dose of relaxation
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OMG…you are just like me….I have to stop myself from looking in the direction of books, ‘coz I cannot stop. The best thing about being in US is the free libraries. I get so many books every time I go there…..not just for me, but for my son too….:D
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Wow! Aren’t you such a cool Mum? Dhruv will become a voracious reader and I am able to picture that right away. So cool Anamika. I am in awe of your upbringing. 🙂
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I think the phrase, “too many books” belongs right up there with the phrase, “too many unicorns.” Meaning, of course, there is no such thing. 😀
It’s so wonderful to be able to share a love of books with your child. All three of ours were much the same when they were young – one has since become less fond of them (I believe due, in large part, to her dyslexia).
I hope you continue to enjoy your new treasures!
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So many books, so little time. And money!
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I suffer from the same syndrome. I get anxious when there are only a few books in the to-read pile and run out to buy more.
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Haha…sounds so familiar to me! I used to give in to my one and only indulgence of book buying earlier far too easily, now am wary of a eleven year old who catches me on the wrong foot. So, living upto my own words of being wise in spending means I can only buy what I budget for. All three members of my family are the same when it comes to buying books so we try and check each other just in time to ensure we don’t go overboard. Our racks, book cases and shelves are running out of space and we realised that we need a bigger place to move in, now :)) Just in case you are interested, thought I’d mention that you could also take an annual membership of the British library (on Kasturba Road) so that you and Dhruv can take as many as 14 books at a time along with CDS and magazines for every three weeks which means you don’t really have to buy them always. We are regulars there for the past 5 years and they also hold many events for kids related to reading, so it might be something for you to try out in May when you are back from your vacations! Happy reading anyways 🙂
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I think we all book lovers are liked that. Last time my kid got 7 books and then I got him 2 more coz I liked them. Happy reading.
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I and my 4 YO both are with you. We both act as if we’re under a spell while browsing books, be it at a bookstore or online. Those books look interesting, added them to my to-buy list 🙂
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Anamika your posts make me smile from word go. Both of us entered and I know the other of the two is Dhruv. To read your posts about your relationship with him is like reading about two people in love. And this is how parenting should be. It should reveal a bond which is beyond head and more heart at times 🙂
As for book buying sprees. Less said on my part the much better!
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I am like you. I grab all the books I like and then realize there is no way I can buy them all. I guess that is why I love our library. I borrow up to 20. I have to take them back in 3 weeks, though. I sometimes have a large overdue fine which I could have used to buy books, LOL.
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Well that is a bookstore experience of an old and a new bookworm. Books are never too many! Thank you for sharing your experience, I had a blast reading it!
Zaria
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