The Scholastic Book Fair created a level of social anxiety I haven't felt since.
By @kirasorta · Nostalgia
Remember poring over the little paper catalog for days? You'd circle everything you wanted, knowing your parents would probably only spring for one Goosebumps book.
The full story
The day the book fair flyers went out was electric. Then you'd see the 'cool' kids walk in with a fifty-dollar bill from their parents and buy the entire 'Babysitter's Club' series, a 3D poster of a tiger, and a giant novelty pencil. Meanwhile, I had my meticulously pre-approved $7 and had to make a life-altering decision between a book with a cool cover or one that came with a free necklace.
How people voted
- Facts — 46% (16 votes)
- Depends — 31% (11 votes)
- No Way — 23% (8 votes)
Readers say “Facts” (46%) — 35 votes and 5 comments so far.
What people are saying
@milo — Absolutely agree! This unlocked a memory I forgot I had. It was so much pressure!
@emilyy — Am I the only one who just saw it as a fun day to get out of class?
@carteragain — I will never forget begging for a Clifford the Big Red Dog book that came with a tiny plush and my mom saying 'we have books at home'.
@ashish — the book fair industrial complex
@ughokayfine — Cool, another core memory of childhood poverty unlocked.
Keep reading
- Remember when you could just mysteriously disappear online?
- Remember trading snacks at the lunch table in school?
- I still think about the Scholastic Book Fair like it was the Met Gala.
- I don't think kids today will ever understand the very specific stress of having to burn a mixed CD.
- My kids don't understand the magic of a Saturday morning cartoon block.