Here in the northeast, we’ve had three solid days of rain, but that won’t stop me from California dreamin’ and the promise of summertime reading. Yup, I like to gorge on books in the summer. But this year, I’m also on a budget. So I’m trying to hook up on cheap reads while still supporting my local bookseller.

In a down economy, the deals out there are killer.

As always, Powell’s Books is in the forefront of creative marketing. Their Children’s Summer Vacation Education promo hits the sweet-spot for parents desperate to keep their kids amused while massaging their brain cells at the same time. They’re offering a 30% discount on DK Books for kids. DK Books, for those not in the know, is a line of educational/fun books distinguished by high-quality visuals and presentation.

Dr. Frankenstein’s Human Body Book: The Monstrous Truth about How Your Body Works provides education and the essential gross-out factor that keeps kids fascinated. I’m intrigued by Cook It Together, a cookbook for kids, because I have an evil plan to shunt some of my kitchen duties off on my daughter now that she’s old enough to use a knife safely. Muah ha ha!

Barnes & Noble is aggressively courting the summertime reader by offering a 40% discount on their list of beach reads. They’ve helpfully organized their webshop by category, and the 20% discount on the Complete Idiot’s Guide To line is also tempting.

For those who are not on a budget, but who want to support their independent bookseller, IndieBound has an eclectic list of summer reads available. They’ve also got a cool iPhone app where you can download their recommended picks onto your iPhone. Convenience!

My old friend Borders isn’t offering a summer beach reading promo yet, but their bestsellers are always 40% off list price everyday, a pretty good deal if you want the bestseller. I sign up for their e-coupons, and it’s worth it. Each week I get a coupon for an additional discount in my inbox. We’re such Borders junkies, I always find use for it.

But if shopping at the booksellers isn’t in the cards for you this year, the library (be careful of taking books poolside!), thrift shops and plain old-fashioned swapping with a friend can also enlarge your beach read basket. I asked a friend about Half.com, and she says she doesn’t find it worth it. After you pay shipping, you might as well have bought the book at list price.

Do you have creative ways to save on your summer reading habit? Let us know in the comments. We could all use tips to help stretch our budget while indulging our reading habit!

Image by Spanishalex.

Kathleen Bolton is co-founder of Writer Unboxed. She has written two novels under the pseudonym Cassidy Calloway: Confessions of a First Daughter, and Secrets of a First Daughter--both books in a YA series about the misadventures of the U.S. President's teen-aged daughter, published by HarperCollins.
Kathleen Bolton
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