Independent Bookstore Day
Independent Bookstore Day is Saturday April 25, 2026. Actually, all of April has been celebrating Independent Bookstore Month.
south central PA local bookstore event
I am a big fan of independent bookstores. In fact, my four children’s picture books are only sold in independent establishments. Towns and cities that embrace these businesses add to the vibrancy and and brainpower of their communities.
What better way to lead up to this Saturday’s celebration than the discovery of a local independent bookstore? I first read about this store in November 2025 in my daily Lancaster newspaper. New local bookstores always catch my attention. So, I cut out the article that contained a picture of the owner and his young son and put it in my To Do folder.
Things got away from me and I forgot about this new store. And then on a sunny day this week I made a short road trip to Seymour’s Little Shop of Books located on 25 East Main Street in Mount Joy, PA. Since I taught in the area at the Donegal High School for fifteen years, I knew the route.
The minute I walked into the quaint bookstore I sensed that this was going to be a wonderful home for my children’s picture books. Bill Seymour, the owner, and his young son Garrick hunched over a round table near the entrance working on a large jigsaw puzzle. He offered me a seat on an extra chair.
After an hour with Bill, I felt like we were old friends. We shared a connection to our childhoods in upstate New York. He grew up further upstate than I did. We both love writing and the beauty of picture books. When I showed him my books, he respectfully held each issue and complimented me on their quality and beauty. Through the years, my confidence has grown. I have seen that my children’s books sell themselves to the right buyer. And I was in the presence of the right buyer that afternoon.
Deal closed.
I invite you to also discover this precious book store and see for yourself what impressed me. Maybe Garrick will be there to greet you with his impish smile. Check it out. http://www.seymourslittleshop.com
Locally there are many fun activities going on this Saturday April 26, 2026 for Independent Book Store Day. Henri’s Home, Henri to the Rescue, Heidi Saves the Day, and The Lady and The Mouse are on the shelves at Aaron’s Books in Lititz, Bound Books in the Olde Tollgate Village in Spry, Bookshelf Shenanigans in Elizabethtown, Pocket Books Shop in Lancaster, Murphy’s Mercantile & Co.in Columbia, and Mayhem’s Bookstore & Board Game Cafe in downtown Lancaster.
Independent Bookstore Day is a national celebration organized by the American Booksellers Association. It highlights over 2,000 independent bookstores in the U.S. I am proud to say that my children’s books are also sold in New Jersey, Delaware, Florida, and Maine as seen on my website http://www.kimkluxenmeredith.com
Where ever you are on this Saturday, maybe you can visit a favorite independent bookstore or discover a new one as I did.
Kim
