A Middle-Grade Treasure Hunt

A darn good haul.

By Claire Booth

I spent yesterday morning on a treasure hunt. A friend of mine is a middle school librarian and needs more of some popular titles. So we hit a used bookstore sidewalk sale and then a couple of public libraries with shelves of donated books for sale. We made out pretty well. I might or might not have even plunged into a large bin full of unsorted books to see what I could find. Okay, you all know me and know I totally did that. Found some good stuff, too.

The morning was wonderful and I came away with two points:

First, I know there are plenty of places to donate books—a public library for fundraising resale, elder care facilities, Goodwill or other thrift stores. But if you have kids (or grandkids) who no longer want their Percy Jackson or Wings of Fire or John Green books—consider making a targeted donation. 

Ask your local middle school if they’d like middle grade books. High schools need popular young adult and adult series. Some might not want them, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. There’s not a lot of money budgeted for libraries in some school districts. Especially not money for fun books that will set kids toward a lifelong love of reading. A set of Artemis Fowl books would go a long way.

My second point is the reinforcement of something I knew already. Book lovers are the nicest people. The used bookstore owner has an educators’ discount and happily agreed to keep an eye out for items on my friend’s wish list. And the library volunteer sorting books out of that big donation bin pressed books into my friend’s hands when he found out where she worked. “They’re going to a kids’ library? Just take them.”

Yep, book people = good people. 

 

Book lovers come in any species.