I still think about the Scholastic Book Fair like it was the Met Gala.
By @remyy · Nostalgia
My kids just had their first book fair and it's just not the same. I remember circling everything I wanted in the little paper catalog, hoping my parents would give me enough money for a new Goosebumps and one of those crazy shaped erasers.
The full story
My mom group chat is blowing up about this. We all have this core memory of the book fair flyer arriving. It was like getting a toy catalog, but for books. You'd go through it with a pen and circle every single thing you wanted, even though you knew you were only going to get maybe $15 to spend. I'm talking about the pure adrenaline of walking into the school library and seeing it transformed with all those rolling metal shelves. You had your eye on that one book, maybe a new 'Babysitters Club' or 'Animorphs', but then you'd get distracted by the posters, the fuzzy pens, and the pointers with the little hands on the end. It was a sensory overload. My daughter came home today with one book. they said she'd rather just have me order something on a place nearby. It kind of broke my heart a little. She has no idea about the pressure, the excitement, the sheer social currency of walking out of that library with a plastic bag full of literary treasures.
How people voted
- Facts — 33% (38 votes)
- Depends — 41% (47 votes)
- No Way — 27% (31 votes)
Readers are split: “Depends” leads with 41% — 116 votes and 5 comments so far.
What people are saying
@arlo — yes the magic is definitely gone.
@judemaybe — a place nearby and instant gratification culture have completely ruined the simple joys of childhood.
@vinceyk — I feel this in my soul.
@maey — Don't be sad, you got to experience it! And now you get to share those great memories with your kids, even if they don't totally get it yet.
@remy — This is what happens when you give kids a tablet before they can read a chapter book.
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