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Topic: Ideas for cleaning off kids' bookshelves??

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Subject: Ideas for cleaning off kids' bookshelves??
Date Posted: 5/13/2008 9:34 AM ET
Member Since: 1/29/2007
Posts: 3,365
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Thought I'd see what worked/works for some of my fellow bibliophiles to keep their kids bookshelves full of books they want to read....

My 8 year old has two bookcases in his room - 3 shelves on each case, so a LOT of books. We also have some of his books in our downstairs shelves, some stacked on his desk.... yet he tells me he has nothing to read b/c he's read all those, some of them many times. But, he's really reluctanct to clear them out.   So, here's what I was thinking I'd try - tell him to pull out all the books he doesn't want to read again that don't have sentimental value (tfor example, here are some my mom gave him that are "keepers" even though they're way below his level not).  Then, I'll let his younger brother (5 yo) choose what books from the stack he wants and pay ds 25-50 cents per book to be used for new books for him. What sounds like a fair deal to him w/o me going broke? I can't really guess how many the 5 year old will want since most are way above his reading level. I figured I'd then take out any I felt we should keep and put in my room. Then, donate any unpostables, then post the rest on here and let him use the credits for new books. 

Any better ideas for clearing them out without leaving his shelves barren and not breaking the bank? I was able to just go in and pull out my younger ds' books and give them away, but the 8 year old is really *attached* to his books. We just don't have room if he's going to get more. I am NOT getting him another bookcase either....that's *his* solution to the problem.

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Date Posted: 5/13/2008 7:39 PM ET
Member Since: 10/29/2005
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I would help him browse the books here on PBS and tell him that if he posts some books, that every time one gets ordered, he can order a new one!! You can put some books on your reminder list that he shows interest in. Also, if his school has an AR program, you might want to look them up to see what level they are.



Last Edited on: 5/13/08 7:40 PM ET - Total times edited: 1
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Date Posted: 5/13/2008 8:43 PM ET
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Oh, he's familiar with PBS and has ordered some in the past. Unfortunately,  most of the books he wants are not avail. on here and he already has several wishlisted....He keeps looking for stuff and it's not posted.  Which is why I'm thinking about letting him have a little cash for what ds2 wants so he can at least get a couple of new books while he waits for some he wants here to be posted.   And, I do want to keep any books ds2 wants since it will save me postage.I guess I need to talk to dh about this before I tell him anything. 

I'm not really concerned with his reading level, to be honest. I realize it's important if he's not reading well, but since  he's reading well above his grade level, if he wants to read a book on his grade level sometimes, I'm fine with that.

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Date Posted: 5/14/2008 2:12 AM ET
Member Since: 2/21/2006
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Well, call me a mean mommy, but I've told my kids, "No new books unless you clear out some old ones."  Period.  If there's not room, then there won't be any more books coming in.

And I've never had them pay each other for books one of them wanted from the other.  We share.  It's their choice if they want that particular book taking up space on their own shelf instead of their sibling's.

If they want to give away books that I'd like to keep (which happens more than I care to admit), I find a place on MY bookshelf.  (And I'm about due to clean MY shelves!)

Remember, too, that the library has tons of books.  The kids don't need to own every book they read.  = )

~Jori

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Date Posted: 6/19/2008 2:06 AM ET
Member Since: 10/25/2005
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I had my children join reading clubs this summer, which is really clearing off my one daughters shelf.  My youngest (Emily)reads a lot faster than my oldest Anna.  So, Anna has a box in the basement full of books that she wants to read but Emily is done with.  We have made a deal to not put more books on her shelf  until she can empty her shelf, then we will bring them up from the basement.  Also, Anna has tons of books that she can get rid of that Emily can't so I put those out for Emily and often once she reads them once for she decides she is really done with them.  I spend a lot of time asking them if they are done with books.  I also sometime takes books that I think they are done with and put them on their TBR pile and they read it and say get rid of it.  Anna who has a hard time getting rid of books does better getting rid of them if she knows that they are wish listed.  I also told them that they had to sort books before getting more.  Also, they have younger cousins and books that they really liked they give to their cousins and that makes it easier to give them up.  My kids use most of my PBS credits.

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Date Posted: 6/25/2008 1:43 AM ET
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sigh..I should've learned all this as a kid! I keep every book(pretty much) and I"m overlowing with boxes, piles, full shelves...I think every book I read and like I need to keep and every book I haven't gotten to needs to be kept...