Second Hand Books: Why We Love Buying Pre-Loved
I’ve always loved books, and these days I’m a huge fan of second hand books in particular. Not only are they a brilliant way to keep the cost down when you’re buying for a whole family, but there’s something lovely about giving a great story another lease of life. Some of my earliest memories involve losing myself in a story, staying up far later than I should have with a book hidden beneath the covers, and discovering characters and places which felt every bit as real as those around me.
Now, as a parent, there is something really lovely about seeing my children develop their own relationships with books too. Their tastes might be completely different, and the way they discover new reads has certainly changed over the years, but I still love seeing a book discarded on the sofa with a page folded over or hearing one of them say, “You HAVE to read this!”
The only downside is that when you have a family of enthusiastic readers, buying books can get expensive surprisingly quickly. That’s why we’ve become big fans of buying second hand books and finding more affordable ways to keep our bookshelves full.
Why buying pre-loved books makes so much sense
There was a time when I automatically bought books brand new. These days, unless there’s a particular new release we’re desperate to get our hands on, I’ll usually look for a pre-loved copy first.
Buying used books from Awesome Books is an easy way to find titles for the whole family without paying full price every time. Whether you’re looking for a bestseller you’ve been meaning to read, something for the children or a few books to take away on holiday, there is something quite satisfying about finding the title you want for less. And, let’s face it, once a book has been read once, it doesn’t suddenly become any less enjoyable for the next person.
In some ways I actually prefer a pre-loved book. I’m far less precious about throwing it into my handbag, taking it to the beach or leaving it beside the pool. Books are supposed to be read and enjoyed rather than sitting pristine on a shelf.
Second Hand Books Are a Great Way to Encourage Children to Read
When the children were younger, books were everywhere in our house. We had bedtime stories piled beside the beds, picture books downstairs and a seemingly endless collection of books which had to come with us whenever we travelled.
Children can also move through reading stages incredibly quickly. One minute you’re reading chunky picture books together and the next they’re flying through chapter books faster than you can buy them. Buying books second hand books makes it much easier to say yes when your child suddenly discovers a new author or series.
I’d always rather the children had access to plenty of books and felt free to experiment with what they enjoy than worry about whether every book was going to be a worthwhile purchase. And reading really doesn’t have to mean traditional novels. Graphic novels, joke books, fact books, travel guides and biographies all count. Finding the type of book that genuinely interests your child is far more important than insisting they read something you think they should enjoy.
Books are brilliant for travelling families
As a family who travels a lot, books have always been one of our favourite things to pack. They’re particularly useful for those inevitable quiet periods during a trip: airport waits, long flights, train journeys, evenings back at the hotel and those moments when everyone needs a little downtime. Although Kindles and tablets are undeniably convenient, I still think there is something special about taking an actual book on holiday.
One of my favourite things is choosing a book connected to wherever we’re travelling. It could be a novel set in that country, a memoir, a children’s story or even a book about the history and culture of our destination. It gives you a completely different connection to a place. For children, it can also be a lovely way to build excitement before a trip. Reading stories set in Japan before visiting Tokyo, learning about wildlife before a safari or finding a children’s book about Paris before seeing the Eiffel Tower makes the destination feel real long before you arrive.
The BookTok effect
Of course, the way teenagers discover books now is completely different to when I was their age. Social media, and particularly BookTok, has introduced a whole new generation to reading. I love that books which were published years ago can suddenly become hugely popular again simply because readers have fallen in love with them online. The downside is that when a book goes viral, suddenly everybody wants it!
Looking for a used copy can be a great way of working through a teenager’s ever-growing reading list without spending a fortune on brand-new copies. It’s also a good option when they’re not entirely sure whether a particular genre or author is going to be for them. If they love it, brilliant. If they don’t, at least you haven’t spent £10 or £15 finding out.
A more sustainable way to fill your bookshelves
There’s another reason I’ve become increasingly drawn to buying things pre-loved: it simply feels wasteful for perfectly good items to go unused. Books are almost designed to be passed on. A novel can be read by one person, passed to another family, donated, resold and enjoyed over and over again. The story doesn’t change just because someone else turned the pages first.
For families trying to make more conscious purchasing decisions, buying used rather than new where possible is such a simple change. It doesn’t require completely changing the way you live. You’re still buying something you wanted anyway; you’re simply giving an existing copy another chapter of its own.
Creating a Family Bookshelf With Second Hand Books
One thing I’d really recommend is creating a bookshelf that everyone in the family can contribute to. Ours has changed enormously as the children have grown. Picture books have gradually made way for novels, travel books, biographies and all kinds of random interests. Rather than thinking of books as belonging to one particular person, encourage everyone to recommend their favourites to each other.
Some of the best conversations we’ve had have come from two of us reading the same book and having completely different opinions about it. You could even introduce a family book swap. Once someone has finished a book, it goes onto a particular shelf ready for somebody else to pick up. It’s simple, costs absolutely nothing and encourages everyone to try something they might never have chosen themselves.
How to choose second hand books online
If you’re buying used books online, I find it helps to keep a running list on my phone of titles we want. That way, when somebody recommends a book, I don’t immediately buy it and end up spending far more than intended. Instead, I add it to the list and look for it the next time we’re choosing books. It’s worth searching by both title and author, particularly if you’re not bothered about having a specific edition or cover.
For children’s books, series can be especially good value. If your child has enjoyed the first book, look to see whether you can pick up several more from the same series rather than buying each one brand new. And don’t overlook older titles. Some of my favourite childhood books are still just as magical now, even if their covers aren’t quite as glossy as the latest releases.
Giving a book another story
I think that’s ultimately what I love most about buying second hand books. Every book has already had a little life before it reaches you. Maybe somebody read it on their summer holiday. Perhaps it was a child’s favourite bedtime story or a novel someone couldn’t put down on their commute. Eventually they finished with it and passed it on, ready for somebody else to discover.
In a world where we’re constantly encouraged to buy the newest version of everything, books are a lovely reminder that new to us can be every bit as good as brand new. And if it means we can fill our shelves, encourage the children to keep reading and save a little money along the way, that’s definitely something I’m happy to get behind.
