“They only stock Scholastic books, which is a limited pool of titles, and often a huge percentage are franchise tie-in books (Star Wars, My Little Pony, LEGO, etc).
Not to mention, the books and useless plastic toys being sold are exorbitantly overpriced, giving children a skewed perception of reasonably priced items. These books being sold also lack diversity and representation of groups and end up promoting large corporations and franchises rather than local businesses and diverse authors. The toys laid out to entice the children will end up inevitably purchased, furthering this insufficient use of money. Most of the time, the books are made out of cheap materials and have the tendency to break or rip within the early stages of use. The actual items the money goes toward are not quite as useful or high-quality as one might think. Some parents might feel burdened with the pressure to shelter their children from this reality, so they spare them some extra money-money that they don’t necessarily have-to spend at these book fairs. The result of not being able to afford these books and toys is the weight of embarrassment, the feeling of exclusion, and the parental reactions that could potentially spur from it. While their peers stand at the checkout counter with armfuls of items, these kids are left to merely browse and watch. But for other kids, Scholastic Book Fairs propel them to the realization that they can’t afford these items when others can. But while the concept is innocent in theory, there is a complex layer of inequality rooted in these book fairs that prove to be a problem for families and communities.įor some children, the Scholastic Book Fair is the place to stock up on toys and glossy new books and simply absorb the pure, whimsical nature of it all. On the surface, Scholastic Book Fairs are the annual events that allow young students to revel in the elation of new books and spreads of miscellaneous knickknacks, serving as the perfect recipe for nostalgia. Opinions expressed in editorials on The Central Trend are the view of the individual writer and are not the opinion of the entire staff of The Central Trend or the Forest Hills Central staff or administration.
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