Book Fair - Scholastic

[beck]

We have just had another great book week at my son's school but a lot of parents are becoming increasingly frustrated with the 'Scholastic book fair'. The book fair operates under the guise of selling books that will be the 'cornerstone of a child?s intellectual, personal and cultural growth'. However we have has a lot of experiences of children buying toys, painting kits and books that parents wouldn't classify as literature ( e.g. the 'Bratz' books)

I really question Scholastic's motives, they do seem to exploit the schools interest in getting books at reduced prices and are happy to manipulate children into buying rubbish.

I'm just wondering if any other parents out there have similar experience of Scholastic book fairs?

[rachel83]

Yes I agree - our school selects which books to display on sale and we hide the junk Disney / cartoon/ toy stuff.

[beck]

Thanks that's a good idea, I'll take that back to our school

[Mrs TP]

Much as I concur Scholastic's predominant sales and marketing strategy is probably maximum profit, there is also the counter thought that a massive part of world book day is to encourage those children not engaged in reading. If these children are given free range and happily buy and read a Disney / Bratz / cartoon book etc then hooray job done.

[beck]

yes - it's the peddling of toys that really irritates though.

[rachel83]

Kids are already bombarded with enough consumer rubbish when they go into shops - not just toy shops but supermarkets, newsagents etc. I think to try and peddle toys, paints, pencils, and even dress up stuff as "book related" is taking the p**s! It's a bit like those annoying ?4 magazines that are aimed at kids. The kids rarely bother to look inside to read the magazine and do the puzzles, they just want the tatty plastic toy or make-up set on the front.

[Mrs TP]

Toys is somewhat taking the p**** and the big chains cashing in on often poor quality costumes too.

Anyway I for one am now recovering from this year's world book day traumas.