Kids grow fast. One minute they are reading picture books and the next minute they are into reading the Baby-sitters Club series. With all these books piling up, what do you do with all of the outgrown books? You can donate them to charities and libraries, trade them for store credit and more books, or sell them at a yard sale or flea market. Whatever you decide to do, don’t throw away any children’s book that is in good condition because there is always a child who could use a book to brighten up her day.
Donate Children’s Books
This is the quickest way to make more room on your child’s bookshelf. Call your local library and find out if they take book donations. Many public libraries will accept book donations and will either donate them to charities or hold a used book sale. Either way, you and your child are helping others get the books they need and raise money for beneficial public services.
You can also sometimes donate children’s books to children’s homes, women’s crisis centers, and the Salvation Army. Search your phone book and call these places before making a drop-off.
Project Night Night
Project Night Night provides homeless children with a tote bag that contains a baby blanket, stuffed animal, and a book. They do accept children’s books for ages 0-10 that are in good condition. You can donate outgrown books by mail are at drop off points in Arizona, California, and Ohio.
A quick search for “donate children’s books” on the Internet will provide you with numerous organizations that are holding book drives.
Trade for More Books
Many used bookstores have a book trade policy where you bring in books you no longer want and get store credit for them. This is a great way for your child to explore other genres and pick up back issues in his or her favorite book series.
Yard Sale
Many communities have a yearly yard sale. Find out when your community yard sale is and prepare the outgrown books for sale by wiping off the covers and dusting the tops of the books. You can sell the books individually or in groups, depending on what kind of books they are. Hardbound books can be sold separately while paperback series can often be more easily sold all together.
If you live in a remote area, check out your local newspaper for nearby flea markets. Setting up a table at the flea market is a great way to get rid of all outgrown items, including clothes, furniture, and, of course, books.
