I love books! Old books, used books, tattered books, new books. I love reading books to my children. And I’m pretty sure they love being read to. I have fond memories of my parents reading books to me. Now they read to their grandchildren.
Growing up one of our family’s favorite outing was going to the bookstore. My parents had to set a limit of only two books each. Do you know how excruciatingly painful it is to narrow down your pile of books to just two? I distinctly remember one time going in search of my younger brother to tell him it was time to go. Guess where I found him? In front of the Hardy Boys section with literally every book in the series out in front of him as he tried to decide which two to choose.
Now my mother is fulfilling one of her dreams about books. She has opened up her own bookstore. Not just any bookstore, but a children’s bookstore. It’s called The Purple Cow. Isn’t that a great name? It brings to mind this poem by Gelett Burgess.
I never saw a purple cow;
I never hope to see one;
but I can tell you anyhow;
I’d rather see than be one!~Gelett Burgess~
The bookstore has been open for several weeks now, but this Saturday is their “Grand Opening Celebration”. They have a full day of fun activities planned like an Andy’s Sling Shot Airplane Launch, fingerprint art projects, Fancy Nancy hour, Anna Banana Jump Rope fun, and even an Incredible Edible Book Cake Contest. Kids decorate a cake about a favorite book and bring it in for judging between 9am – 10am. The cakes will be on display all day with the judging taking place at 3pm. They also have Jessica Day George signing books and reading from 2pm-3pm. How cool is that?! So if you happen to be in the Tooele, UT area on Saturday or feel like taking a little drive to visit a fun bookstore go visit The Purple Cow Children’s Bookstore on Main Street in Tooele. It’s in the same shopping center as Macy’s.
I wish I could be there!
I’m so bummed that I can’t do to the opening, I’ll be out of town. I really want to go visit soon.
I was talking to the Abuelito’s a while ago about how they “helped” unpack the inventory. Guelita told me she read Guelito 5 books while they were there, isn’t that sweet?
I have a huge fetish with books, too. This new bookstore sounds fabulous!
That is SO awesome!!
Oh man – I wish I lived a little closer – my kids would LOVE that!! Good luck to your mom!! It sounds adorable!
This sounds like a child’s dream come true!! I’ll have to check it out next time we’re in town…
Best wishes to your mom!!
Do you know Burgess’ response to everyone who quoted “Purple Cow” to him over the years?
Ah, yes, I wrote the purple cow
I’m sorry now I wrote it
But I can tell you anyhow
I’ll kill you if you quote it!
Love those quatrains.
That is SO fun! If I get a chance, I’ll drive out and see it before we leave. Very fun!
Holy Purple Cow! That sounds like so much fun. We’ll try to make it. 🙂
I don’t live anywhere near UT so I won’t be there – but it’s so cool that your Mom is fulfilling her dream. I’m sure she’ll be a wonderful shop owner because she loves it.
I will definitely be taking the kids out there this week, with school now out. It’s funny, at the school book fairs, I too always give a limit of 2 books and they just look at me like I’m nuts…..
I wish I could be there too. I love little book shops and it sounds like it will beone amazing party.
Let us know if she gets a web site up for the place. =)
How freaking awesome. My mom would be so so so jealous. She tought 1st grade for a long time and so childrens books hold a special place in her heart. Way cool-
That sounds like so much fun! The opening her own store, being able to work with children, the grand opening. All of it sounds like so much fun. I hope she is amazingly successful with it.
That younger brother wouldn’t happen to be me, would it? …I remember the “two book limit,” and how we’d always try to sweet talk mom and dad into making it three.
How fun! We’ll try to get out there sometime. I’ve always loved bookstores and libraries. One of my earliest (and best) memories is having my mom read The Wizard of Oz to me when I was about 3 or 4.
It’s a fun store! We went in there & your mom was telling me about the one of your daughters that I taught in sunbeams (can’t remember the code name, lol) being very upset that you aren’t coming up for the grand opening.
We used to make a drink we called a Purple Cow, named after the poem. It was basically an orange julius, except with home-made concord grape juice in place of orange juice.