Fables

It’s lovely unpacking all the Crimbletown properties, especially the newer ones which we don’t know as well. You will find us exclaiming over details we failed to notice last time.

This was a new building last year and very special as Rob and I had a book shop in Essex for 7 years and I do miss it, although I don’t think I’d be up to it now, it was the hardest I have ever worked, plus dealing with the public is very rewarding but also exhausting. 
December in the book shop was such a busy month. I loved it when all the books would arrive that we had ordered back in the summer. The childrens books were the most exciting to unpack and put in the window, both factual and fiction and activity books too. I loved Klutz books for 5 to 10 years olds, some great activities based around fashion and drawing, and I still buy them now for kids I know. 
There was a series of amazing pop-up books by Matthew Reinhart and Robert Sabuda and I’ve lost count of how many of those I sold, the Dinosaur one was my favourite. The key thing was to have a demo copy for people to handle and as soon as they saw the intricate pop-ups they were sold on it (8 to 12 year olds) These are still available if any of you are looking for ideas for kids in your family.

On Christmas Eve we would do a whole weeks takings in a day and Rob and I would stagger home exhausted but happy. Of course, after the first year I learned that the December income has to last a few months as January and February were very quiet indeed!