Dear Bookstore

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Author(s)

Emily Arrow

Co-Authors / Illustrators

Geneviève Godbout

Publisher

Candlewick

Genre(s)

Age Range

Release Date

March 11, 2025

ISBN

978-1536210699

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A picture-book love letter to bookstores, inspired by a song from award-winning children’s songwriter and ukulele player Emily Arrow.

Dear Bookstore, I remember
the first time I ever visited you.

For one little girl, the local bookstore is not only the beginning of her reading journey, it’s a world that’s always there for her—one that allows her imagination to soar, provides any answers she needs, and sparks her curiosity. It’s a place of wishes and dreams, where everybody and every book fits in. There’s always someone there who is happy to see her and help find her next exciting chapter. With cozy, fanciful illustrations by Geneviève Godbout and based on musician Emily Arrow’s song of the same name, Dear Bookstore is an ode to bookstores, the people who love them, and the books that fill them with magic.

Editor review

1 review

Magic of Bookstores

May 21, 2025 (Updated: June 25, 2026)

Overall rating

5.0

Plot

5.0

Characters

5.0

Writing Style

5.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

5.0

DEAR BOOKSTORE celebrates a child's love for books and the magic of bookstores. With everyone turning to ebooks, many smaller bookstores are being forced to close down. While digital libraries are taking over, they can never replace the magic of walking into a bookstore or the smell of a new book. This book reminds readers how intriguing and welcoming physical bookstores are.

For one little girl, she's inspired as soon as she walks into her first bookstore. It's a place where she feels at peace and like she belongs. This book is her way of showing how much she appreciates that little book store filled with magic, dogs, and different worlds. The illustrations are soft and it's a great tribute to bookstores and libraries. In a world where technology is taking over, I love how this picture book brings people back down to earth and teaches children how much fun it can be physically picking out their next read. It might even encourage them to take a trip to their local library or bookstore.

Final Verdict: I would recommend this to children four and older who have a love for reading and books. It teaches them how much fun it can be to browse the shelves of physical books and the warmth bookstores have.