Independent bookstores launch Storytime Day, set for this May
After the success of the Indies First movement this November, in which authors worked at independent bookstores, the newest event is called Storytime Day. Spokesperson Kate DiCamillo urges authors to read a story at their local bookstore.
After the success of the Indies First movement this November, in which authors worked at independent bookstores, the newest event is called Storytime Day. Spokesperson Kate DiCamillo urges authors to read a story at their local bookstore.
Indies First isn鈥檛 just for the fall anymore.
Last year, 鈥淭he Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian鈥� author Sherman Alexie created the Indies First movement, suggesting that writers go and work as booksellers in independent bookstores on Small Business Saturday (traditionally the Saturday after Thanksgiving). The idea was a success, with more than 400 stores participating and more than 1,000 authors working that day. Some indie stores also reported that the day was a financial boon to them as well.
So now the American Booksellers Association, the Children鈥檚 Book Council, and the organization Every Child a Reader are suggesting Indies First come to springtime as well. Rather than work in a store, suggest the organizations, authors could come to an indie location and read a book. They鈥檙e calling it Indies First Storytime Day and it鈥檚 set for May 17, set to coincide with Children鈥檚 Book Week, which is from May 12 to 18 this year.
Author Kate DiCamillo, who was recently appointed National Ambassador for Young People鈥檚 Literature, is Storytime Day鈥檚 spokesperson.
鈥淐ome in and read a story (a story that you didn鈥檛 write) out loud,鈥� DiCamillo wrote on the page for Storytime Day on the American Booksellers Association site. 鈥淭he point is to show up and to read aloud, to celebrate stories and to celebrate the indies who work so hard to put our stories in the hands of readers.鈥�
DiCamillo explained to Publishers Weekly why it鈥檚 suggested that writers don鈥檛 read from their own book.
鈥淭hat way the event can be less about us as authors and more about the power of story and about bookstores as a place to gather for story,鈥� she said.
Check out a map of what stores will be participating here (and it will be updated leading up to the day itself).