The MomSpeak

We have tried to develop a love of books in our daughters. Our three-year-old loves to pick out her favorites for nighttime reading and even “reads” them back to us. Our eleven-month-old likes to chew on the corners — you can’t win ‘em all. As a family we are always looking for new books to cycle through the collection. This can get expensive if we were to buy new every time. Instead, I have compiled a list of ways to obtain free or inexpensive copies of our favorite tales to share with our readers.

1. Swap online. If you are willing to cull your collection, you can trade them for points on sites likeBookMooch. Simply list the titles that you are willing to part with and wait for someone to request a copy. Once you have shipped it, you will be awarded points which will allow you to request a book that interests you. The service is free, only pay the cost of shipping (remember, the media mail rate is deeply discounted).
2. Check it out. Your local library is not only a place to borrow books for FREE but also a great, child friendly destination for a weekly excursion. Ask the librarian to find out if there is a day with storytelling or events geared towards preschoolers.
3. Start a blog. If you have a deep appreciation for children’s books and want to share that passion with the world, start a blog reviewing your collection. After establishing yourself, contact publishers asking for advance copies of books to review on your website.
4. Hit the street. There is nothing better than a good ol’ yard sale for finding great deals. A box of books can cost you pennies on the dollar.
5. Reach out. Start swapping books with other parents of children. Meet as frequently as you’d like; weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually to clean off your shelves and swap copies.
6. Thrift shops. Visit your local Goodwill or Salvation Army for great deals on children’s books as well as parenting books. Other media is often available as well.
7. Download. The Gutenberg Project has thousands of free copies of books ready for you to download from their website. 
8. Browse. Google’s advanced book search allows you to read classics online. A quick search revealed parenting books from authors like Dr. Sears as well as illustrated stories of the Grimm brothers.
9. Go hunting. The internet can be a wonderful, quirky thing. One shining example of this isBookCrossing.com. Search the site for books left in the “wild” near year and physically go get it. Then come back to the site to let people know that you have picked it up.
10. Shop. Used book stores offer deeply discounted children’s books. If the bookstore is good, they will carry many gently used copies or even copies that were never read.