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How it Works

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We handpick the very best books.

Our passionate bibliophiles spend their days searching for the most engaging, rewarding reading experiences for children — from toddlers through 8th grade — plus a wide selection for parents, too. Then we narrow down to our absolute favorites and put together our annual digital book fair catalog, featuring the most anticipated new releases, recent paperbacks, can’t-miss classics, and hidden backlist gems that may have slipped under your radar.

We work hard to include a thoughtful variety of price points, genres and topics — along with a broad diversity of characters, authors, and abilities — to ensure every member of your community finds the perfect read.

Learn more about how we choose our books.

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You choose your virtual book fair dates and catalog.
 

Every year, our book fair catalog of top picks is published with titles for toddler, preschool, elementary school, and middle school programs, plus sections featuring activity books, family reads, and books for adults. We include all of our grade levels — toddler through 8th — in every online book fair so that parents have an opportunity to buy for all their children, as well as build their home libraries for the future. And since we know children progress at their own right pace, reading both up and down from their own grade level can have dramatic effects on their confidence and progress.

You'll simply email the catalog using your own dedicated link to your parent community on the start date of your online book fair, using our easy marketing templates explained below.

Typically we recommend a two-week window for your book fair — beginning on a Monday and ending on a Sunday — to give families plenty of time to review the catalog and place their orders. We find that October/November and April are often ideal months to host a virtual fair, but you can select any date range that works best for your community.

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The excitement builds!

All of our schools receive a full marketing packet that includes a calendar for your virtual book fair as well as email templates, social media posts, carpool handouts, and printable signs — everything you need to create awareness and enthusiasm. Pick what works best for your school based on your marketing channels and capacity, and simply cut and paste our content to quickly spread the word.

The more ways parents hear from you about the quality and mission of Brightstory online book fairs, the more great books will end up in kids' hands — and the more good we'll do together.

Download the 2022 Marketing Toolkit.

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Parents & kids review the online book fair catalog together.

Our interactive digital catalogs turn book fair shopping into a bonding experience between kids and parents. You can say goodbye to setup, soliciting a volunteer crew, managing kids' wish lists, and making up for lost class time. Families simply browse the virtual catalog from any device to find new treasures to add to their home library — and then click right through to order them online at brightstory.org.

Browse our current catalog.

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Book fair orders are placed online.

Our online shop makes it easy for families to place a Brightstory book fair order in minutes (bonus: no more kids bringing cash to school!) and it also gives them a chance browse thousands of other titles they might enjoy, like additional books in favorite series or other age-appropriate recommendations. Plus, we’ve found that when parents are involved in the selection and purchasing process, they're not just happier with the titles their kids end up with, their book fair order values also increase and your school sees more dollars. 

In our marketing toolkit, we recommend sending an email reminder a few days before orders are due so no one misses out on the chance to find their next favorite read.

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Books are shipped directly to families.

Book fair orders typically ship from our warehouse within 7 days, straight to the joyful arms of students. We offer super low shipping rates all the time and FREE shipping on orders over $50. We know it can be hard to choose children’s books without the chance to flip through them, so we offer easy 30-day returns on all purchases.

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Your school earns money.

At checkout, families indicate their school name so you get credit for every order from your community. Once the return window for your online book fair has ended, we tally up your school’s sales and send you a check for 20% of the pre-tax total on all book fair orders from our site. (Please note that donation dollars are not earned on items that are returned.) 

There are no complicated sales tiers to meet, no points or rewards to keep track of. Just straight dollars back. Plus, purchases made directly by schools are also eligible for the full 20% back — all year, on all items. 

Need help selling the idea? Download our Brightstory Overview to share with your colleagues.

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And then your school earns more money. All year long.

We want every book purchase your community makes to raise dollars for your school. During your virtual book fair and throughout the rest of the year, you’ll earn 20% back on all orders. Sales that occur outside your book fair dates will be compiled at the end of the calendar year and distributed accordingly. 

You can promote year-round fundraising by including Brightstory when you share all the ways that your community can give back. Raising money doesn't get easier than that. 

 

SCHEDULE YOUR BOOK FAIR TODAY!