KidzCompass

Dragons, detectives, doodles, and dreams — it’s all waiting inside Once Upon a Time Bookstore! This award-winning gem in Montrose isn’t just a bookstore, it’s a treasure trove full of story times, fantastic stories, and other awesome events! You can find books for kids of all ages, from a baby’s first book, to a teen’s favorite fantasy series, there’s always something for every reader in the family.

What is the Once Upon A Time Bookstore?

The Once Upon a Time Bookstore is the oldest children’s bookstore in the country, as it was founded in 1966, and is still running today in Montrose! Inside the bookstore, you can find countless books for all ages and a wide variety of events, ranging from:

• Storytime sessions
• Author visits
• Writing workshops
• Book clubs
• Seasonal Events and Themed Days (e.g. Read Across America, Celebrate Pippi’s* Birthday)

*The bookstore’s cat

Programs and Events

The Once Upon a Time Bookstore has lots of events every week! They have book clubs for kids, teens, and adults alike! On top of that, they have story times, writing workshops, and more, so let’s dive into them!

Storytime Sessions: Librarians and/or booksellers read multiple children’s book aloud, exciting children about each story! By incorporating songs and rhymes, the Once Upon a Time Bookstore helps foster early literacy skills, and help develop understanding in the books they’re reading. Story times also allow kids to interact with each other for activities like crafts and learning activities.

Author Visits: Visits kick off with the visiting author reading aloud from their book. After the book, or section of the book is finished, the authors do interactive activities with their audience, playing trivia games or drawing questions. The Authors often invite people to ask questions about the writing process, characters, book themes, or even alternate endings! After the storytelling and Q&A, authors sign books, and sometimes even personalize it with names or doodles, adding a special touch for families.

Book Clubs: The Once Upon a Time Bookstore has book clubs for people of all ages! They have book clubs for kids, teens, and adults! Members interact with each other, they have discussion-based, fun-focused sessions with reading polls, seasonal themes, and sometimes even guest authors. They have sessions for book clubs each week. You can register and find dates and times for the book clubs on their website.

Location and Hours

Adress:

• Once Upon A Time Bookstore
• 2207 Honolulu Avenue
• Montrose, CA 91020

Hours:

The Once Upon A Time Bookstore is open every day of the week

• Monday: 10 am – 6 pm
• Tuesday: 10 am – 6 pm
• Wednesday: 10 am – 6 pm
• Thursday: 10 am – 6 pm
• Friday: 10 am – 6 pm
• Saturday: 10 am – 6 pm
• Sunday: 11am-4pm

Parent Reviews & Testimonials

What locals are saying:

“Genuine good time! Book selection is amazing! Pippi is a beautiful mascot and truly a good time worth the drive from the city & for my WOCS with kiddos a safe space for sure” -Kat G.

“Amazing bookstore with wonderful staff. They have a great selection, and order basically anything and have it arrive within a week. Prices are extremely fair (no big markup for ‘small business’). They also somehow get major children’s book authors in for readings etc nearly every week. I feel lucky to live near this gem; my son and I come every week to buy books!” -Laura J.

“Excellent children’s bookstore, great section for young adults, and some adult books too. Knowledgeable and helpful staff. Highly recommended.” -Eric C.

Conclusion

The Once Upon A Time Bookstore is more than a place to just buy books- It’s a vibrant, welcoming hub where stories and imagination come to life. From interactive story time sessions, to author visits, and to book clubs for every age group, this beloved bookstore has something for every reader. Once Upon A Time Bookstore is not only the oldest children’s bookstore in the country- it’s also one of the most magical. Whether you’re visiting for a special event, picking out a bedtime story, or just enjoying the company of fellow book lovers (and Pippi the cat), you’re sure to leave inspired and ready for your next great adventure!

Come visit and discover your next favorite story today!