Realizing it's only WEDNESDAY, there has been a strange phenomenon occurring in the bookstore this week:
People looking for baby/children's books, but not really understanding what a baby/children's book is.
Sound confusing?
Imagine being me.
A few times this week, women have been in looking for children's books for Christmas gifts. I ask a few general questions (age, likes/dislikes, etc.) and then I make some recommendations. We have a nice children's selection, and I usually start by showing them the new books (because, hey, as much as I enjoy recycling books, many people don't want to give used books as gifts). NOT ONE OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE LEFT WITH A CHILDREN'S BOOK. (HM, maybe my recommendations just SUCK).
Anyway, just to prove people are truly insane during the holiday season, check out the conversation I had yesterday:
Confused Book Woman (CBW): I want to get a book for a baby.
ME: *shows her our new children's book selections*
CBW: *perplexed* These all look too old.
ME: Well, there's a board book there, which is for all ages and it's more durable. And then the other books are regular children's pre-6 year old books. Those are good to have parents read to the kids, too.
CBW: But this board book is a Christmas book.
ME: Yes.
CBW: *stares at me as if I've grown 2 heads* The baby is due in December.
ME: *blink*blink*blink* Well that seems like a good book just in time then!
CBW: *SIGH!* No, I mean, do you really think the kid is going to carry this around and read it? *louder sigh*
ME: *blink*blink*blink* Well...as a newborn, I'm assuming the parents will be reading to the baby. But as he or she gets older, yes, he/she will carry it around. And a book like this will last for a while.
CBW: *Sigh* No! No! These are all wrong.
ME: Well, we have some local children's author books that are signed. Those make great gifts.
CBW: Those are too old.
ME: The baby hasn't been born yet, right?
CBW: Right. December.
ME: OK then... *Starts working on something else.*
CBW: I guess I just don't know what I want...
ME: HM.
Perhaps these people should stick to, dare I say? DVDs.
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