Comments on: Your alternative to the Scholastic Book Fair http://www.parentsforethicalmarketing.org/blog/2007/11/19/your-alternative-to-the-scholastic-book-fair/ Blog of Parents for Ethical Marketing Thu, 28 Aug 2008 02:44:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.3 By: Lisa @ Corporate Babysitter http://www.parentsforethicalmarketing.org/blog/2007/11/19/your-alternative-to-the-scholastic-book-fair/#comment-1253 Lisa @ Corporate Babysitter Fri, 04 Jul 2008 14:28:39 +0000 http://www.parentsforethicalmarketing.org/blog/2007/11/19/your-alternative-to-the-scholastic-book-fair/#comment-1253 Sherry, thanks for commenting. I don't know a lot about reluctant readers, although I have heard your argument before. I agree that reading is important, and if that's all that kids will read, so be it. However, the effect of licensed characters go far beyond helping kids to read. I guess parents must balance what they think is important in their kids' lives. I do think it's too bad that we can't find other ways to interest kids in great books. Sherry, thanks for commenting. I don’t know a lot about reluctant readers, although I have heard your argument before. I agree that reading is important, and if that’s all that kids will read, so be it.

However, the effect of licensed characters go far beyond helping kids to read. I guess parents must balance what they think is important in their kids’ lives.

I do think it’s too bad that we can’t find other ways to interest kids in great books.

]]> By: Sherry http://www.parentsforethicalmarketing.org/blog/2007/11/19/your-alternative-to-the-scholastic-book-fair/#comment-1252 Sherry Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:40:08 +0000 http://www.parentsforethicalmarketing.org/blog/2007/11/19/your-alternative-to-the-scholastic-book-fair/#comment-1252 I don't think there is anything at all wrong with Scholastic Book Fairs. We have to keep up with the times and in this day in age electronic games and TV are ever so popular for children regardless of how much you shelter them. If it takes a well known character like Barbie or Spiderman for a child to open a book then so be it. The licensed characters are key to get a child even interested in reading now a days. I don’t think there is anything at all wrong with Scholastic Book Fairs. We have to keep up with the times and in this day in age electronic games and TV are ever so popular for children regardless of how much you shelter them. If it takes a well known character like Barbie or Spiderman for a child to open a book then so be it. The licensed characters are key to get a child even interested in reading now a days.

]]> By: Lisa @ Corporate Babysitter http://www.parentsforethicalmarketing.org/blog/2007/11/19/your-alternative-to-the-scholastic-book-fair/#comment-1091 Lisa @ Corporate Babysitter Sat, 10 May 2008 16:27:08 +0000 http://www.parentsforethicalmarketing.org/blog/2007/11/19/your-alternative-to-the-scholastic-book-fair/#comment-1091 Thanks Peggy! I just wrote to them to ask for a sample of their catalog to see if it is something I might recommend to readers. One of PEM's concerns with Scholastic is the number of books they offer that are linked to licensed characters. You don't mention if this is true or not with TakeHomeBookFair, so we'll see! Thanks Peggy! I just wrote to them to ask for a sample of their catalog to see if it is something I might recommend to readers. One of PEM’s concerns with Scholastic is the number of books they offer that are linked to licensed characters. You don’t mention if this is true or not with TakeHomeBookFair, so we’ll see!

]]> By: Peggy http://www.parentsforethicalmarketing.org/blog/2007/11/19/your-alternative-to-the-scholastic-book-fair/#comment-1089 Peggy Sat, 10 May 2008 06:36:12 +0000 http://www.parentsforethicalmarketing.org/blog/2007/11/19/your-alternative-to-the-scholastic-book-fair/#comment-1089 Just wanted to pass along a great book fair company that i just finished up. It is from Imagine Nation Books Ltd. called: TakeHomeBookFair.com I have done dozens of book fairs in my time and THIS one is by far the easiest and they give a 40% rebate which really cant be matched. It doesn't take any volunteers either. My school received over $3650 in cash and books! You are absolutely right when you mentioned the other companies hold "captive audience for a gadget fair" It is converse to the "wholeness" of what a book fair should be. And I don't like the fact that Scholastic dumps their stuff off and leaves us to do all of the work. I pull my hair out each year doing these. I recommend TakeHomeBookFair.com to everyone if they want excellent durable, up-to-date titles . Their program is by far the newest and most beneficial I have ever seen, not to mention the easiest! It doesnt take a list of volunteers and doesn't take up your library space. The account manager I spoke with at Take Home Book Fair was Shane Davis. He was so helpful and was always there if I had a question. He sent 680 Take Home Book Fair catalogs to our school for free and we held the fair for 2 weeks. One other benefit is the teachers get 50% off everything. Each student took one catalog home with them and returned with their orders within our fair timeline. About 9 days after I send my orders in they UPS shipped our orders (pre-sorted in individually labeled boxes for each student)!! I couldn't believe it. For the first time I didn't have to sort through hundreds of books. And I didn't have to move any tables and racks etc... I ran the Take Home Book Fair by myself. You can get a free catalog on their website. I am staying with this company. No more pulling my hair out. I will post their website on this blog, I hope it sticks. Thank you, Peggy Reiling Librarian Washington State Just wanted to pass along a great book fair company that i just finished up. It is from Imagine Nation Books Ltd. called:

TakeHomeBookFair.com

I have done dozens of book fairs in my time and THIS one is by far the easiest and they give a 40% rebate which really cant be matched. It doesn’t take any volunteers either. My school received over $3650 in cash and books!

You are absolutely right when you mentioned the other companies hold “captive audience for a gadget fair” It is converse to the “wholeness” of what a book fair should be. And I don’t like the fact that Scholastic dumps their stuff off and leaves us to do all of the work. I pull my hair out each year doing these.

I recommend TakeHomeBookFair.com to everyone if they want excellent durable, up-to-date titles . Their program is by far the newest and most beneficial I have ever seen, not to mention the easiest! It doesnt take a list of volunteers and doesn’t take up your library space.

The account manager I spoke with at Take Home Book Fair was Shane Davis. He was so helpful and was always there if I had a question. He sent 680 Take Home Book Fair catalogs to our school for free and we held the fair for 2 weeks. One other benefit is the teachers get 50% off everything. Each student took one catalog home with them and returned with their orders within our fair timeline. About 9 days after I send my orders in they UPS shipped our orders (pre-sorted in individually labeled boxes for each student)!! I couldn’t believe it. For the first time I didn’t have to sort through hundreds of books. And I didn’t have to move any tables and racks etc…

I ran the Take Home Book Fair by myself. You can get a free catalog on their website. I am staying with this company. No more pulling my hair out. I will post their website on this blog, I hope it sticks.

Thank you,

Peggy Reiling
Librarian
Washington State

]]> By: GD http://www.parentsforethicalmarketing.org/blog/2007/11/19/your-alternative-to-the-scholastic-book-fair/#comment-199 GD Fri, 11 Jan 2008 19:54:54 +0000 http://www.parentsforethicalmarketing.org/blog/2007/11/19/your-alternative-to-the-scholastic-book-fair/#comment-199 I just received the following email from my daughter's school. This is a full time (7-7) daycare in Manhattan for 3 months - Kindgergarten). We've been very happy with the school but I hate to see the corporate propaganda sneaking in. * * * * CALLING ALL PARENT VOLUNTEERS I am very excited to have XXXXXXXXXXX host a Scholastic book fair! The book fair will take place the week of XXXXXXXXXXX and this fair will give parents the opportunity to purchase popular stories that are used in our classrooms as well as a browse through newer titles. The fair will take place during morning drop-off time (8:15-10:00AM) and evening pick-up time (5:00-7:00PM). I am looking for a few volunteers to help out with this event. Please email me if you would like to participate. Any volunteer help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! XXXXX I just received the following email from my daughter’s school. This is a full time (7-7) daycare in Manhattan for 3 months - Kindgergarten). We’ve been very happy with the school but I hate to see the corporate propaganda sneaking in.

* * * *

CALLING ALL PARENT VOLUNTEERS

I am very excited to have XXXXXXXXXXX host a Scholastic book fair! The book fair will take place the week of XXXXXXXXXXX and this fair will give parents the opportunity to purchase popular stories that are used in our classrooms as well as a browse through newer titles. The fair will take place during morning drop-off time (8:15-10:00AM) and evening pick-up time (5:00-7:00PM). I am looking for a few volunteers to help out with this event.

Please email me if you would like to participate. Any volunteer help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

XXXXX

]]> By: mom http://www.parentsforethicalmarketing.org/blog/2007/11/19/your-alternative-to-the-scholastic-book-fair/#comment-107 mom Sat, 15 Dec 2007 20:05:18 +0000 http://www.parentsforethicalmarketing.org/blog/2007/11/19/your-alternative-to-the-scholastic-book-fair/#comment-107 Waah, Lisa - it was just getting fun. ;-) (new respectful tone) Anne, there is actually a great deal of substance to the critiques of marketing to children, particularly in schools. More substance than a blog comment certainly can contain, but if you are interested, the PEM resources are a great start. You might also look to the findings of the Educational Policy Research Unit at Arizona State, where they have the Commercialism in Education Research Unit, Harvard Medical School's Judge Baker's Children's Center or Harvard's Center on Media and Child Health based at Children's Hospital in Boston. Not exactly crazy leftist encampments. The challenge is that the ill effects on immersion in consumer culture are actually little known, which is why this blog, PEM, and CCFC are so important. I do understand that funding of education has "evolved," this is precisely the point. I'm uncomfortable with the direction it has taken, as are many others. It's my right and responsibility, as far as I'm concerend, to work toward improving the situation, not just for my own children, but for all kids. I appreciate Lisa's leadership here tremendously. Waah, Lisa - it was just getting fun. ;-)

(new respectful tone)

Anne, there is actually a great deal of substance to the critiques of marketing to children, particularly in schools. More substance than a blog comment certainly can contain, but if you are interested, the PEM resources are a great start. You might also look to the findings of the Educational Policy Research Unit at Arizona State, where they have the Commercialism in Education Research Unit, Harvard Medical School’s Judge Baker’s Children’s Center or Harvard’s Center on Media and Child Health based at Children’s Hospital in Boston. Not exactly crazy leftist encampments.

The challenge is that the ill effects on immersion in consumer culture are actually little known, which is why this blog, PEM, and CCFC are so important.

I do understand that funding of education has “evolved,” this is precisely the point. I’m uncomfortable with the direction it has taken, as are many others. It’s my right and responsibility, as far as I’m concerend, to work toward improving the situation, not just for my own children, but for all kids. I appreciate Lisa’s leadership here tremendously.

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