By Holly Presswell and Christiana Jasutan
With Christmas fast approaching, there's no better present for the young ones in your life than a brand-new book this winter season. We’ve selected the top children's bookshops across the United Kingdom to help you choose the perfect gifts.
Ginger and Pickles – 51 St Stephen Street, Edinburgh, EH3 5AH
Located in Edinburgh lies the cosy and quaint independent bookshop, Ginger and Pickle. This bookshop is designed to put young readers at the heart of the shop with beautiful books to draw in readers of all ages. The shop's collection of books ranges from first-time readers to young adult fiction and a small array of books dedicated for parents.
The shop is proud to be able to provide specialist advice on choosing the right books, so do not be afraid to go in and ask for help! The next steps for Ginger and Pickle are setting up an events programme, hosting author and illustrator visits and adding a specialist schools department.
Round Table Books – 73 Granville Arcade, Coldharbour Lane, London, SW9 8PS
This bookstore started as a pop-up shop to celebrate one year of KNIGHTS OF, however the response was overwhelming and people were asking for a permanent space, so along came Round Table Books in 2019!
Round Table Books celebrates underrepresented authors, writers and illustrators. They are proud to be an inclusion-led bookshop stocking books from the widest variety of publishers possible. They specialise in selling books with diverse characters, whether that be race, sexuality, gender or disability. Round Table Books is a beautiful store and a safe space for those who enter.
The Rocketship Bookshop – 5 Bridge St, Salisbury SP1 2ND
Located in Salisbury city centre, you will find The Rocketship Bookshop, an independent bookshop for children and young adults. Their aim for the bookshop is to celebrate the future and help children to take control of theirs. Inside the store are knowledgeable booksellers who are happy to help with any queries you may have.
The store is an inclusive, vibrant and friendly atmosphere for families to come into and relax when shopping. Spanning over three floors, the shop sells a variety of books, from picture books to non-fiction to teen books. Rocketship Bookshop hosts lots of events on top of selling books such as story times and book signings. If you cannot make the journey to visit, they have a lovely website you can visit to buy from instead.
How Brave is the Wren – 4 York Road, Birmingham, B14 7RZ
Located in Kings Heath, Birmingham, How Brave is the Wren used to be a travelling bookshop by Jenny Moore – that is, until it became a permanent shop in 2022. They stock beautifully crafted children’s books, ranging from newborns, pre-school, young and older children. They also ship books if you cannot make it to the store and prefer to order online.
The bookshop offers a range of school activities, including independent book fairs and storytelling in caravans for younger children. In fact, this bookshop is home to WORD PLAY, a reading festival for young children and their families that includes various activities involving authors, illustrators and schools. The festival encourages children to develop a love for reading, storytelling and writing. As part of the festival, How Brave is the Wren also publishes WORD PLAY magazine, which is full of creative activities and samples of new books for children to read.
A New Chapter – 207 Regent Street, London, W1B 3HH
A New Chapter is an online children’s bookshop that specialises in diversity and inclusion. This bookshop is especially keen on getting books into schools, alongside promoting diversity in bookshelves at home. Every week they choose a book to donate to schools and frequently host events with creative authors that are suitable for both children and adults.
To help promote a love for reading in children, A New Chapter also hosts a termly reading challenge. The challenge comes with a printed sheet for children to put their names and their progress, to be shared in the classroom or at home to motivate them.
Bear Hunt Books and Toys – Unit 1, 2A Church Road, Bebington, Wirral, CH63 7PH
Bear Hunt Books and Toys is an independent bookshop which opened in 2021 in Wirral, specialising in children’s books. They have a wide range of books, from picture books, chapter books and baby books, to young adult books. This bookshop is perfect for young readers and their parents to browse for the next story time read.
They also have various Christmas activities in this festive season. “Teatime with Santa” is a storytelling event with Santa where little ones will get a toastie, a drink and a little gift to accompany their storytelling session. Mindful of how the festive season can be busy and overwhelming to some, Bear Hunt also hosts a “Calm Before Christmas” event for seven to ten-year-olds. In these sessions, children learn how to be calm during busy periods, including mindfulness, muscle relaxation and managing emotions.