Scholastic books ordered through school

[bcla]

Anyone remember the Scolastic Reading Club?

I remember when I was a kid, we got the monthly book club flyers that allowed us to order through our schools. Back then we needed to send a check with the order, which was collected by our teacher. Well now that I have a kid, the flyers are still distributed, but now there's the option of ordering online or sending payment, but still through the school via a teacher code. My kid's school gets credits they can use to get books.

It does kind of feel forced on us. Our kid really wanted a certain book, so we went ahead and ordered it. I then looked on the internet to see if this same book was available directly, and it was for way less than the book club price. It seems identical, except that it's only available for preorder with a release date more than two months away. So it looks like they keep some books as a book club exclusive for a limited time.

I think I also might have gone through a monthly book club they had that produced their own hardcover version of children's books.

 

[jevs]

We get the flyers once a term. Occasionally we'll order books through the school so they get the credits. Mostly we buy what we want in a bookshop or department store though.

 

[E&Cmom]

We buy frequently but not every month. There are some deals on it you just have to look for it. Some of the sets are good deals.

I loved them and book fairs as a child.

 

[Disney Dad ADL]

Yeah, I loved those flyers when I was little. My son has been in preschool for 2 years, I've only seen them once or twice, but he really liked it too.

I believe teachers get credits when their students buy books that they can use to buy books and other items for the classroom. Sure you might find the books cheaper elsewhere, but I just consider the difference a donation in essence. It's probably more efficient to give a donation I suppose, but it's more fun this way.

 

[kellyjeanie]

I love Scholastic Book Club! I grab the $1 books, usually they have one for each grade level. And the cheap paperback versions of newer books. Some of the stuff they have is more expensive, but there are plenty of bargains. I think I have just as much fun browsing the catalog as the kids do.

 

[QueenIsabella]

I guess I don't see the issue. My kids have been bringing the forms home for a couple decades now (oldest is 21). I've never, ever felt compelled to purchase anything. Usually, I don't--we have thousands of books already. In fact, we jsut built anew reading nook to house the 25(!!!) boxes of books that we had no place for when we moved last year.

I do admit, I'm a sucker for book fairs, though. I'll typically buy each child a book or three, and then buy the entire contents of their teachers' wish lists. I don't volunteer at school a lot, nor do we participate much in fundraisers, so I figure the least I can do is buy the teachers some books.

 

[Lumiere Lover]

I loved those as a kid. We always let our kids order when they were in school!!

 

[dotfurio]

I send them home every month! The kids are so excited when their orders come. I use the freebies and point I earn to get books for my classroom library.

 

[bcla]

I found it cool when I was a kid, but as a parent I'm feeling rather abused. It almost feels like I'm being hit up for a donation, especially with some books costing more than I can buy online and the message that buying means book credit for the school. Some of their books are regular ones from other publishers, some are books they publish, but other books are their exclusive versions in a cheaper stapled paperback form.

A lot of the books seem to be thinly disguised toy/movie ads, like LEGO or Star Wars books. I don't remember those from Scholastic when I was a kid.

 

[elphaba91]

I loved the book catalogues when I was a kid. My prep (our first year at school here) teacher organised it and I have a lovely memory of her calling me into her classroom at lunchtime when I was in grade 1 so she could give me some Babysitters Club Little Sister books she'd ordered for me because she knew how much I loved reading and that I was reading the series.

 

[kmb584]

My daughter comes home with Scholastic flyers at least once a quarter. In fact, she just brought one home on Monday. Right now, she's obsessed with, of all things, rocks. There's a $12.95 rock collection featured in the 2nd grade flyer so I ordered that and the set of 6 $1 books for her. I can get everything for less online, but she gets so excited when her items come in.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I loved those as a kid!! I remember my mom always let me get something, and I did the same with DS. I'm a sucker for books!

 

[QueenIsabella]

I found it cool when I was a kid, but as a parent I'm feeling rather abused. It almost feels like I'm being hit up for a donation, especially with some books costing more than I can buy online and the message that buying means book credit for the school. Some of their books are regular ones from other publishers, some are books they publish, but other books are their exclusive versions in a cheaper stapled paperback form.

A lot of the books seem to be thinly disguised toy/movie ads, like LEGO or Star Wars books. I don't remember those from Scholastic when I was a kid.

I still don't see the issue. You're not forced to buy any books. You can choose which titles you want for your child. I find they have some interesting sets and kits--my kids are more crafty, so they wold like a book about, say, friendship bracelets, and then a kit to make them. But we don't buy a whole lot, just because we have a ton of sources for books (my sister scours yard sales and used book stores--my kids literally get boxes of books every Christmas).

If it really bothers you, don't buy. If you feel like it, donate to the teacher in some way. Here, they're always looking for Clorox wipes or kleenex. Or go in and tutor or something. I have never, ever had a teacher give me a hard time over not ordering books.

 

[Disneylover99]

I found it cool when I was a kid, but as a parent I'm feeling rather abused. It almost feels like I'm being hit up for a donation, especially with some books costing more than I can buy online and the message that buying means book credit for the school. Some of their books are regular ones from other publishers, some are books they publish, but other books are their exclusive versions in a cheaper stapled paperback form.

A lot of the books seem to be thinly disguised toy/movie ads, like LEGO or Star Wars books. I don't remember those from Scholastic when I was a kid.

I send them home monthly with my students. There is no pressure to buy. It's more of an incentive to get kids excited about books, so they'll go home and tell their parents they want books. I don't care where they buy them from, as long as they read! Some months nobody orders. Maybe they are ordering for cheaper online. That's what I would do.

 

[msjprincess]

I found it cool when I was a kid, but as a parent I'm feeling rather abused. It almost feels like I'm being hit up for a donation, especially with some books costing more than I can buy online and the message that buying means book credit for the school. Some of their books are regular ones from other publishers, some are books they publish, but other books are their exclusive versions in a cheaper stapled paperback form.

A lot of the books seem to be thinly disguised toy/movie ads, like LEGO or Star Wars books. I don't remember those from Scholastic when I was a kid.

That seems a bit dramatic.

I like Scholastic Book Club. I've never felt pressured by any teacher to order. I always look for the bargains and buy the $1 and $2 books. I don't buy pre-orders or hardcover books. If something my child asks for is too much money I tell them no pick another book.

 

[NHdisneylover]

OP, I am confused---is your child's teacher doing more than the typical sending the book order home with a short note and maybe sending home a reminder about due dates?
Are they holding competitions in class to see who orders the most books and offering prizes or shaming kids who do not order? Or some other totally out of line thing to cuase you to feel "abused"

If not, why on earth are you so upset? If you don't like the books/prices, don't order. Simple as can be. Personally, I loved them as a child, my kids loved them when in US schools and I felt some of the items were very overpriced but others were great bargains and I was happy to get them bargains---heck I even sought out neighbors with similarly aged kids to order through when my kids were homeschooled. I can't imagine why this service being offered to parents/students who would like to take part is a problem for you, when all you have to do is not order if you don'T want to

 

[Kellykins1218]

We don't do the flyers at our school but we do have 2 Scholastic Book Fairs during the year... one when we are having Someone Special Day and again when we do either Donuts with Dad or Muffins with Mom.

 

[Gracie09]

I don't get the issue. My dd came home with one last week. I may order some books because I want to expand her library a bit but otherwise feel no pressure to buy anything. We also have a book fair once a year to coincide with donuts with dad and spring open house. We will buy some stuff there and donate a book or two to the teachers. I find them less annoying than the wrapping paper/chocolate/assorted crap sales that happen throughout the year

 

[nugov2]

I almost never order from the flyer, but spend a lot at each of out two book fairs. I don't price check because I always find the prices reasonable. I buy books for Christmas gifts during the fall and books for Easter in the spring. Our school makes a lot of money from our book fair and is able to do a lot for the kids (all kids can pick a free book for their birthday), we raffle off free books all year for box tops etc and teachers get free dollars to spend. It is a good program. Our fall one we take cash our spring we take scholastic dollars.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Ah, books, my favorite.

Now my kiddos are 25 and 20 and I have to do something with all those books.

I always said you are going to have to pry them out of my cold dead hand, however we are seriously downsizing. DH and I are going to be seriously purging things we do not use.

I even had the "I CAN READ" book series which are a couple of hundred of them. My kids LOVED those books.

Books are yummy.