Preparations underway for third National Bookshop Day

Bookstores around the country are preparing for the third annual National Bookshop Day on Saturday 10 August, with many stores staging events and promotions on the day.

Voting for the Australian Booksellers Association’s (ABA) search for Australia’s Favourite Bookshop will close on 5 August and the winner will be announced on National Bookshop Day by author William McInnes at the Sun Bookshop in Yarraville in Victoria. The ABA has created a list of National Bookshop Day events on its website, and is promoting the day via the National Bookshop Day Twitter and Facebook accounts. ABA members can also download National Bookshop Day marketing material from the ABA website.

As previously reported by Books+Publishing, many bookstores will also be giving away copies of five books from Lonely Planet, Penguin, Text and Hachette on the day. The giveaway titles are: Amazing Experiences (Lonely Planet), Rain Queen (Katherine Scholes, Penguin), The Dig Tree (Sarah Murgatroyd, Text), Secret Kingdom Activity Book and Sea Quest Activity Book (both Hachette).

Some of the events happening on National Bookshop Day include:

ACT

Electric Shadows in Canberra is holding a morning tea with local Labor MP Andrew Leigh to raise funds for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation and will be giving away lucky door prizes throughout the day.

NSW

At Pages & Pages Booksellers in Mosman, authors including P M Newton, Favel Parrett, Natasha Walker, Andrew Tink, Geoffrey McSkimming, Gus Gordon, Aleesah Darlison and Kate Forsyth will be working behind the counters in the front shop and the children’s shop. Customers who spend $30 or more on books will receive a free copy of one of the National Bookshop Day giveaway titles or The Bookshop Strikes Back by Ann Patchett (Bloomsbury).

Kinokuniya in Sydney’s CBD is offering a discounted rate for customers who sign up or renew membership to the store’s loyalty program on National Bookshop Day. Customers who buy a book will receive a free copy of Just Three for Three by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton (Pan) as well as a free tote bag that features an illustration by Peter Carnavas from his picture book The Children Who Loved Books (New Frontier). Customers who spend over $30 can also pick up a copy of Lonely Planet’s Amazing Experiences or a children’s activity book.

Potts Point Bookshop has planned a number of family-friendly activities around the theme of ‘(Wo)Man’s Best Friend’.  The activities include a Potts Point Vet Hospital, a ‘Doggie Photo Booth’ and a storytime session with Fairy Poppilina.

MacLean’s Booksellers in Hamilton will celebrate National Bookshop Day with a number of authors and illustrators, including Christine Sharp, Leila Rudge, Jess Black, Jaye Ford, Kaz Delaney and Sarah Wright.

Book Bazaar in Umina Beach has sessions planned with local authors Melanie Lee, Beverley George, DianeEklund-Abolins and Merle Bartlett, who will each spend an hour in the store and sign copies of their books. There will also be book giveaways for each customer.

Snowprint Bookshop in Jindabyne will offer customers, who make a purchase in the store, a free book by one of the authors participating in the Snowy Mountains Readers and Writers Festival. The store will also be asking customers to sign and leave a comment in their National Bookshop Day guest book.

Collins Booksellers Orange is offering 20% off books by local authors on National Bookshop Day, as well as a free copy of one of the National Bookshop Day giveaway titles for each customer who makes a purchase at the shop. Local authors including Charlotte Calder and Freya Blackwood will read from their books throughout the day. 

Shearer’s Bookshop in Leichardt will give away a book with every purchase, including age-appropriate gifts for children, and the bookshop staff will dress up as book characters.

All customers who purchase a book at The Cookery Book in Northbridge will go into the draw to win a prize pack valued at $100. The store will also be holding a sausage sizzle and a ‘cupcake extravaganza’ to raise funds for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.

Megalong Books in Leura will have book giveaways for every customer that makes a purchase on the day, and will offer face-painting and cupcakes.

QLD

Mary Ryan’s Milton will celebrate National Bookshop Day with a number of authors and illustrators, including Kate Morton, Claude Tranchant, Cori Brooke, Nick Earls and Terry Whidborne. Other activities planned include book giveaways, face painting and lolly bag hunts for children.

At Avid Reader in Brisbane, authors to visit the store will include Katherine Battersby, Mary Rose MacColl, Melissa Lucashenko and Kristina Olsson, while Kathleen Noonan and Anita Heiss will each help out behind the Avid Reader counter. Other activities planned include face painting, henna hand painting and jazz on the footpath outside the store.

At Riverbend in Brisbane, staff will be wearing their pyjamas to work and the first 50 adults and 50 children to visit the store wearing pyjamas will receive a free book. The store will also hold a special storytime session with bookshop dog Bernard.

TLC Books in Brisbane is holding a ‘read in’, encouraging customers to bring blankets and cushions and read a book in store. There will be free cupcakes for participating readers and children’s storytime between 11.30am and 3pm.

Mary Who? Bookshop in Townsville will also be holding a ‘read in’, encouraging its customers to set up their own chairs and lounges outside the store. There will also be author talks and children’s book readings, and the first 100 customers to purchase a book will receive another book for free. 

VIC

The Sun Bookshop in Yarraville will host the official launch of National Bookshop Day with William McInnes, who will announce the winner of Australia’s Favourite Bookshop competition. Along with The Younger Sun, the store will invite children to dress up as their favourite Leigh Hobbs character and participate in a drawing workshop with Hobbs. The nearby Sun Theatre will hold a special film screening of Disney’s Aladdin, and local poet Rose Lucas will launch her first collection of poetry in the afternoon.

Dymocks Melbourne will turn into a ‘fantasy medieval fair, filled with book and comic characters’ and include free book giveaways. Children can take part in craft activities and storytelling sessions, and will have the chance to meet Andy Griffiths as well as children’s book characters Spot and Peter Rabbit. For adults, there will be treasure hunts, various performances and a board games den. Customers will be asked for a gold coin donation to raise funds for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.

Hill of Content in Melbourne will give a free book to all customers who spend $10 or more on the day. Among the authors and illustrators visiting the store during the day are Bob Graham, Debra and Marco Luccio and Glenda Millard.

Reader’s Feast in Melbourne will offer $10 off the RRP on a number of bestselling titles, including Burial Rites by Hannah Kent (Piacdor), The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion (Text) and Inferno by Dan Brown (Bantam). Customers will be able to sample some homemade treats at the store’s all-day tea party, as well as enter hourly draws to win $50 Reader’s Feast vouchers.

Fairfield Books has eight authors lined up to each spend an hour in the store throughout the day, including Jen Storer, June Factor, Kylie Ladd, Nick Place, Fran Cusworth, Zana Fraillon, Damon Young and Carole Wilkinson. There will be giveaways and customers can help decorate the store’s window.

Books for Cooks in Fitzroy will have live jazz music and food from Yotam Ottolenghi’s cookbooks for its patrons. The store will also be giving away ‘Eat Local’ vouchers for nearby restaurants and cafes for customers who ‘Shop Local’.

The Little Bookroom in Carlton will hold a special Hugless Douglas storytime, based on the book by David Melling (Hodder). Each child will be given a free pair of slippers and have the chance to enter a draw to win their own Hugless Douglas toy.

Readings stores across Melbourne will be visited by Where’s Wally and Spot throughout the day, with plenty of opportunities for photos with the characters. The stores will also run giveaways throughout the day and there is a surprise event planned form 11am at Readings Carlton.

Robinsons Bookshops in Frankston, Chadstone and Greensborough will launch its ‘Blind Date with a Book’ initiative on National Bookshop Day. Customers will have the opportunity to select a book from a ‘literary lucky dip’, with each book wrapped in brown paper and accompanied with a few words to give customers a hint. The stores will also have give away copies of the National Bookshop Day giveaway titles, hold colouring-in competitions and the café at the Frankston store will serve book-themed food.

Benn’s Books in Bentleigh will give customers a free book when they spend over $20 and younger readers will receive special goodie bags. There will be special prices on selected bestselling titles and an author event with Elliot Perlman.

Bookgrove in Ocean Grove will celebrate the day with children’s author Claire Saxby, who will read from a number of her books. Customers who purchase a book on the day with receive a free book from a ‘mystery book box’.

My Bookshop by Corrie Perkin in Hawksburn will offer a ‘buy a book and get one free’ deal on National Bookshop Day, as well as a chance to select a free book from a Lucky Dip box with each purchase. There will be free cupcakes, lollies and balloons, and customers will be invited to write, in 100 words or fewer, ‘why My Bookshop is my bookshop’ to win four $50 vouchers.

Four bookstores in the Macedon Ranges/Goldfields region are working together to celebrate National Bookshop Day with four book prize packs to be won. Customers who visit Book Bonding Gisborne, Aesop’s Attic Kyneton, New Leaves Woodend and Red Door Books Lancefield can enter the draws by collecting a stamp from two of the four participating stores between 1 and 10 August. The stores are also giving away free books and running various book activities throughout the day. Book Bonding Niddrie will also be running book giveaways each hour.

Foster’s Little Bookshop has planned ‘An Afternoon of Romance’ with romance authors Kate Bell, Kathryn Ledson, Margareta Osborn and Jennifer Scoullar. 

The Bookshop at Queenscliff will celebrate the day with activities including a limerick competition, children’s storytime and readings from authors including Justin D’Ath, Fiona Wood, David Millie, Heather Gallagher and Barry Hill.

Customers at Jeffreys Books in Malvern will receive one free book for every book they purchase, thanks to Lonely Planet, Hachette, Penguin and Text. There will be discounts on selected titles, prizes for customers who dress up as their favourite character, local author appearances, refreshments and a discussion of favourite childhood books.

Torquay Books is offering prizes for children who dress up as their favourite character. Authors appearing in store include Claire Saxby, Melva Ouliaris, John Bartlett, Graeme Robin, Joan Westerman, Maxine Flakemore, and there will be a children’s storytime event.

Books Illustrated Gallery in Middle Park will celebrate illustrated books by launching a collection of original vintage illustrations from overseas, including illustrations from classic childhood books.

TAS

At Fullers Bookshop Hobart, paper artist Allison Jones will be holding a workshop to teach customers how to make decorative birdhouses. Jones will be running a second workshop a week later on 17 August.

The Hobart Bookshop will offer a 15% discount to customers who mention National Bookshop Day.

SA

Dymocks Adelaide will be running giveaways throughout the day as well as a main raffle. There will be colouring-in activities and storytime for children, who will also be able to enter a competition to win a giant Winnie the Pooh toy.

Collins Edwardstown will celebrate the day with a number of author visits, including Ben Chandler, Sean Williams, D M Cornish, Peter Cooper, Jo Spurrier

and Bronwyn Stuart.

Booked at North Adelaide will give customers a free gift with each purchase over $20 and anyone who visits the store will have the chance to enter a raffle, which will be drawn at the end of the day. 

Imprints Booksellers in Adelaide will offer customers a copy of The Bookshop Strikes Back by Ann Patchett (Bloomsbury) and book giveaways for every sale over $5. The shop will also host a street poetry reading, and every customer who makes a purchase will go into the draw to win one of five book prize packs. 

 WA

Margaret River Bookshop is holding a special event with local mind-body-spirit authors Annette Krah and Fiona Scull, who will be talking about their latest book and signing copies. 

Beaufort Street Books in Mt Lawley will celebrate the day with reading and drawing sessions, cupcakes and prizes. Local author and illustrator Karen Blair will read from her picture book Baby Animal Farm (Walker) and customers are encouraged to bring their pet to participate in a dog parade, which will include prizes presented by author Renae Hayward.

PUBLISHERS

Bloomsbury is running a #lovebookshops campaign across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The publisher is asking booksellers to email photos of their stores, to be promoted via Bloomsbury Australia’s social media accounts.

Is your store or business celebrating National Bookshop Day? Email books.publishing@thorpe.com.au to let us know about your plans.