I have given up against Books. When we moved here and culled our possessions down to the few and the proud, I had thought that we wouldn't ever acquire so many books again. And we held out for a while. But the truth is that we don't have a good library for children here (aside from the one at the girls' school). We go on library binges during our summers away, but it is so important to me that the girls have plenty of reading material year-round. And that means buying books. There, I said it. My name is Bridget, and even though we live overseas and place value on our possessions relative to their weight, I WILL BUY BOOKS. (For my kids.)
Fortunately, I reached this realization right around the time that the girls came home with their school book order pamphlet. After I got over the massive wave of nostalgia I got just from looking at the thing, we dove right in. The girls circled their choices, and then I went through and filled out the order form with what I was actually willing to buy. This was more complicated than it was for me back in elementary school, since the book order had prices in pounds and Euro, and the order form had them in dirhams with a calculated surcharge. (Books are expensive here. Sigh.) Still, I was grateful for the framework of the school book order pamphlet, because it allowed each girl to show me her tastes and preferences, odd as they sometimes were. The books the girls chose for themselves were not necessarily the ones I would have chosen for them, is what I mean.
Before I sent the completed order form in, I checked all our selections against The Book Depository. You lucky Americans with your Amazon.com have no need of such a thing, but for us expats, The Book Depository is wonderful: really good selection, decent prices, and free shipping to all kinds of weird places, including the UAE! Be still, my heart.
About half of the girls' books were cheaper on The Book Depository. The other half will go through the school order. Regardless, our family has a few boxes full of books to look forward to in a few weeks!
Fortunately, I reached this realization right around the time that the girls came home with their school book order pamphlet. After I got over the massive wave of nostalgia I got just from looking at the thing, we dove right in. The girls circled their choices, and then I went through and filled out the order form with what I was actually willing to buy. This was more complicated than it was for me back in elementary school, since the book order had prices in pounds and Euro, and the order form had them in dirhams with a calculated surcharge. (Books are expensive here. Sigh.) Still, I was grateful for the framework of the school book order pamphlet, because it allowed each girl to show me her tastes and preferences, odd as they sometimes were. The books the girls chose for themselves were not necessarily the ones I would have chosen for them, is what I mean.
Before I sent the completed order form in, I checked all our selections against The Book Depository. You lucky Americans with your Amazon.com have no need of such a thing, but for us expats, The Book Depository is wonderful: really good selection, decent prices, and free shipping to all kinds of weird places, including the UAE! Be still, my heart.
About half of the girls' books were cheaper on The Book Depository. The other half will go through the school order. Regardless, our family has a few boxes full of books to look forward to in a few weeks!