Books Fairs in Schools

ToyotaCorolla

Hi

The school my 7 year old goes too every year has a "book fair" for 3 days every september/october. From what I gather from my child they get brought into the hall each of the three days and are invited to buy something book/stickers etc.
The more i hear about it the "book fair" is more of a sales convention for a company to come into and have a captive audience. At no point during the fair are the kids brought into read books or take part in activities , its purely sales driven.
The local town has a fantastic library that i often bring my kids too. Personally i think the school would be better bringing each class at various times throughout the year to the local library and let them read without this glorified sales junket to the hall where everyone feels pressured to buy books

Do other schools have these books fairs ?

thesimpsons

I know of a good few schools who have regular book fairs each oct/nov. There is no pressure on anyone to buy books but alot of people do of course buy some. Local schools here will have times when parents can come in to schooll in the evenings with their kids to look at the books and see if they want any and often parents buy them for christmas presents. You don't have to let your child buy if you don't want to - mine never got books at the school as we regularly got them in town or at the library. The school does usually get a percentage of the sales back in the form of books for the school library. Just say no to your kids, they can't have everything in life.

ToyotaCorolla

I think you missed the point of the my thread with your line "Just say no to your kids, they can't have everything in life"
My child got a book there was plenty she wanted but we said she could buy one. My point was there was probably plenty of kids that didnt get a book but wheeling each class into the hall three days on the trot putting them under pressure to get a book when they see a classmate getting one is unfair.For a start the books are overpriced compared to buying in may shops around the city. Im not sure what the school gets off the company but they dont get any books maybe a % of sales

implausible

I work in secondary and it doesn't happen in my school....but I wish it did. Very very few of my students read for pleasure or ever use a library. Anything that encourages reading is a good thing in my opinion.

Kids are being sold things daily - from junk food to computer games. Books really are the least worrying in a long line of evils.

Mr. Muddle

What do other parents from your school think about this. Can you talk to the Principle or the parents association about it.

Maybe there are loads of other parents who agree with you but don't want to rock the boat. I wouldn't be keen on it happening in my kids school.

January

Moved from Parenting

byhookorbycrook

We have a book fair each year. Children are NOT forced to buy anything.We bring classes in turn to sit ,read and enjoy the range of books as part of our "Reading Month."

The school gets a large percentage from the sales,which is then used to buy books for the school library. It's a way of funding the library without asking parents for more and the children often get the books from Santa.

Our parents' association help to run the fair and all the parents seem to be delighted.If you don't want your child to buy something,you just say no, like you would if they wanted stuff anywhere else.

ShamoBuc

Our Book Fair is an annual event also and the kids love it. There is no pressure on the kids to purchase. Every class has 2 trips to the fair in the hall. The first is a browsing session and the next day is a 20-30 min silent reading session - where the kids can take any book and read it, then change for another one etc . The parents can browse/buy gooks after school or in an evening session of they so wish. They can buy a book and donate it to the class if they really want to ( Book donated by... sticker is put on the cover).
The school gets a percentage of sales and this money is only used to but novels, sets of books/readers, reading schemes etc for the school. I honestly think it's a great thing for schools to be involved with. The books are geared towards all the primary ages and to be fair, it certainly encourages the kids to read and go to the local library.

smurff

We host a bookfair every three years but have decided not to have it this year as any fundraising that has happened in the last 6 months has been really badly supported, whether it was for school funds or charity. People just don't have the money. Over the years the children used to love it. The new books is the school library used to big a massive boost. We will have to keep taping them back together.

Kathnora

Books and reading need to be promoted. After last Christmas when I asked what Santa brought the replies were varied but books didn't feature. When I asked if Santa had brought any books the reply was "books are for school" I rest my case!

guppy

Kathnora wrote: »

Books and reading need to be promoted. After last Christmas when I asked what Santa brought the replies were varied but books didn't feature. When I asked if Santa had brought any books the reply was "books are for school" I rest my case!

That is so sad. My son gets books every year, and he can't even read yet!

I was on my daughters parents association and we organised book fairs every year (that was 6+ years ago though). We advertised it as a good way to do early christmas shopping. The school benefitted by earning the sales in books, ie, the school got to pick out books for class libraries to the value of the profit of books sold at the fair.

ShamoBuc

Kathnora wrote: »

Books and reading need to be promoted. After last Christmas when I asked what Santa brought the replies were varied but books didn't feature. When I asked if Santa had brought any books the reply was "books are for school" I rest my case!

This is very true. The enjoyment of reading needs to be promoted - and it works!! If my 6yr old didn't get a book from Santa for her 'library' she wouldn't be too happy with Santa!

pooch90

My class actually asked me today if we do a book sale in our school (they were in a different school for infants).
They are so excited by the prospect of it as they loved getting a new book at the sale.