Re: How much for a school book fair?

my kid was not a reader and i never had this problem lol

if your kid is a reader i think $20-$25 if more than enough

How much for a school book fair?

I send a check with a note for the teacher that my child may not spend more than $25. I also tell him that he can not go over this amount. They are very respectful of the amount I give him and don't go over. They also send home the receipt so I know exactly how much he spent.

How much for a school book fair?

We use the library a lot too - we go every couple of weeks.

But my kids really enjoy getting books from the book fair. I typically let them get two each and one for their teacher (they do wish lists). Most of the books they get are re-read or used frequently.


And I think it’s good for them to shop since other than the supermarket I do most of our shopping online.

Re: How much for a school book fair?

My school does the ewallet I usually do around $20-$25. Anything leftover I get back. I let them buy what ever is in that limit.

How much for a school book fair?

I use the ewallet, too and it's a $10 max for each of them. We also have the option of specifying "to be used for books only"
Honestly, it's not in my budget to buy books, and I'd much rather download to Kindle (free books or Library free Kindle share) or borrow from the library (we go once a week). They take up room and they're constantly advancing reading levels... ugh why are we forced to spend $ we don't have?

Re: How much for a school book fair?

I typically do $20 each which I thought was over the top. Based on this thread I guess the norm. I tried to tell my girls budget was $10 this time and they freaked out it wasn't enough.

Re: How much for a school book fair?

Re: How much for a school book fair?

How much for a school book fair?

My kids aren’t in school yet but if they were I would maybe ask if I can send in a check each and limit it to 2 books, no junk, or I would just go and meet them there to pay for what they picked. My kids are big readers right now they have 2 large hamper size bins of books and a book shelf and we read at least 30 books a day, if they continue to read this way I wouldn’t want to limit them per se. if this was a Christmas fair... that’s a whole other ball game and would cap that at $20 firm!

Re: How much for a school book fair?

Posted by NervousNell

Posted by JME78

Posted by NervousNell

I know this is like blashphemy and all I will probably raise a serial killer- but I really am not a fan of buying books.
DD will read a book once- IF i'm lukcy and she really likes it that is- and then toss it aside never to be looked at again.
We are running out of space in our tiny house with no basement. I have nowhere to put all the stuff.
Buying a book to me is a waste of money and space.
We make great use of our library- this way she reads it, or doesn't because she "wasn't interested in it" as she says- and back it goes.

I also never buy myself books- if I do decide to read-which is only in the summer or on vacation- I use my Kindle. I have no space in my home to store 1000 books I'll never look at again

Having said that, I do send her with $20 to the book fair- because she would be upset if she couldn't participate and loves to go and look for stuff there and it's a fundraiser.

I don't think its blasphemous. I love to read more than anyone and I don't buy a lot of physical books - I buy them on my kindle or I go to the library. Kindle is the greatest invention ever for me - otherwise I would be overtaken by books.

From my experience kids under 5 do return to the same books again and again, but nothing wrong with just going to the library.

LOL, I guess I felt that way because everyone always says how a book is a great gift if a kid has too many toys, how books are so wonderful ,how they want all these books at their baby shower, how they spend hours at Barnes and Noble, how a B&N gift card is a great gift, etc.
And I've always been like- gee they take up a lot of space and she has zero interest in ever looking at them again.

Re: How much for a school book fair?

Posted by NervousNell

Posted by JME78

Posted by NervousNell

I know this is like blashphemy and all I will probably raise a serial killer- but I really am not a fan of buying books.
DD will read a book once- IF i'm lukcy and she really likes it that is- and then toss it aside never to be looked at again.
We are running out of space in our tiny house with no basement. I have nowhere to put all the stuff.
Buying a book to me is a waste of money and space.
We make great use of our library- this way she reads it, or doesn't because she "wasn't interested in it" as she says- and back it goes.

I also never buy myself books- if I do decide to read-which is only in the summer or on vacation- I use my Kindle. I have no space in my home to store 1000 books I'll never look at again

Having said that, I do send her with $20 to the book fair- because she would be upset if she couldn't participate and loves to go and look for stuff there and it's a fundraiser.

I don't think its blasphemous. I love to read more than anyone and I don't buy a lot of physical books - I buy them on my kindle or I go to the library. Kindle is the greatest invention ever for me - otherwise I would be overtaken by books.

From my experience kids under 5 do return to the same books again and again, but nothing wrong with just going to the library.

LOL, I guess I felt that way because everyone always says how a book is a great gift if a kid has too many toys, how books are so wonderful ,how they want all these books at their baby shower, how they spend hours at Barnes and Noble, how a B&N gift card is a great gift, etc.
And I've always been like- gee they take up a lot of space and she has zero interest in ever looking at them again.

Re: How much for a school book fair?

I would send $25 if you expect your child to buy more than one book. There are lots of larger, hardcover books that are $$$ plus tax.

I am a big fan of the library, so I get what people are saying that it's unnecessary to buy books that will then take up space.

However, from the PTA perspective, the Scholastic Book Fair is a great fundraiser for us, which earns us money to do a lot of things for the school. And it ties into an educational and worthwhile activity - reading - as opposed to some other fundraisers schools may do (selling candy, cookie dough, etc.).

We usually tie our book fair into a family reading night at school, with faculty readers and other fun activities (snack, craft, this year we did "reading under the stars" in a mobile planetarium). So it's a fun event and gets kids/families thinking about reading.

I'd rather spend the money on a book now and then (I mean, the book fair is once a year) then a lot of the other crap that I buy my DS, which sometimes lies around collecting dust.

And when we are done with books, we always pass along to younger cousins or donate to schools or the Book Fairies.