Best-Loved Book Nooks

Ann McDermitt - Atlanta
September 27, 2011

Do you remember your favorite childhood books? We do! Cuddling up with a book is often an early childhood memory. We've scoured Atlanta to find some special spaces to extend that experience with your family.

Atlantans love their bookstores and special reading spaces. They openly declare their favorites to those who ask. Choices vary from independent bookstores, which still remain customer favorites; to librarians who take the time to converse about age appropriate books your son will love. Each will have a special place in your family's growth. Lastly, there are the homes of famous authors who still care that a five-year-old's eyes twinkle as a story unfolds...these are the moments that we love to see as parents.

Home to great authors such as Margaret Mitchell and Joe Chandler Harris, Atlanta has a great respect for the written word. Many of these historic sites still play an active role in fostering today's writers. At the Wren's Nest storytelling-really animated and expressive storytelling-happens each Saturday at 1:00 p.m. and by appointment during the week. Allowing your children to experience the historical tradition of verbal history and storytelling will create a feast for their imaginations.

Good bookstores are not only for browsing and buying, but also for hearing, touching, and seeing the written word. Decatur, Georgia is often called the "city within a city" because of its enjoyable urban spaces and delightful shops and culture. Little Shop of Stories sits right in the middle, welcoming families to enjoy their regular events (Check the events calendar; they have a regular Thursday night reading which includes milk and cookies!) and join into the book club called "On the Same Page," which is a community book club for young people run by Little Shop of Stories in conjunction with the Decatur Book Festival, the Decatur Education Foundation, and the Decatur Rotary Club. The current book, Norton Juster's The Phantom Tollbooth, has just been selected so you are not too late to join in on the fun. Visit their information page for all the details.

Bound to be Read Books in the eclectic East Atlanta Village offers a thoughtful collection of new and used books alongside a staff that knows their inventory. Book clubs are welcome and readers are treated as family at this independent bookstore.

Don't forget to frequently visit your local library—search by county name and then explore the events calendar to join into the fun and learning. Used bookstore dealers, such as Once and Again Books, have become a popular way to recycle books in good condition. Some of them host events as well...and when your teenager asks for the summer reading assignment book to be purchased then you will often find it in a well-kept used bookstore. Explore your neighborhood to begin finding your own to find your own experiences.

A last note concerning what to read children: The Georgia Center for the Book has a wonderful list called the "25 Books All Young Georgians Should Read." This list has books that range from Pre-K to young adults and is a fantastic overview of Georgia literature. No matter how you experience the written word, your child will develop a love of books that will last for a lifetime.