**UPDATE** #43 Would you spend $50 on a Christmas present that would be loved, but used for a...

[LynnS6]

Dd (6) discovered the Rainbow Magic fairy books this summer and fell in love with them. During the month of August, she read every single one of them (and there are 70 of them)! They come in series of 7 and so far, 10 series have been published in the US. The books are published in the UK, and there are 4 more series that have been published there but not in the US (The Magical Animal Fairies, the Ocean Fairies, the Green Fairies and the Twilight fairies for those of you keeping score at home.)

Of the series that are yet to be published in the US, only one (The Ocean Fairies) has a US publication date that I can find. The books are on order by the local library; we've already put our names on the list to hold them when they arrive in March.

Here's my dilemma. I could buy, via an international bookseller, one of the other sets of books that won't be published in the US for a awhile. It would cost us about $50 (including shipping which is expensive) and dd would be thrilled. BUT these books are 'too easy' for dd. She can read one in about 20 minutes. 7 x 20 minutes = 140 minutes of reading time before the present is 'used up'. She's not one to re-read books like this very much, though she will occasionally.

Somehow I feel that spending ~$21/hour for such a short-lived pleasure is wasteful. It would also put Christmas a bit over the top, because I've already bought her a (used) Playmobil hospital that she's been pining for. But truth be told, we could make room for it in the budget or ask auntie (who's a librarian and always willing to buy books) to contribute toward them.

Am I just cheap? Or is there a good reason not to buy these books?

(It's a yes/no poll folks; the INTJ in me refuses to add an 'other' option. If you feel compelled to do other, just write a response!)

[mamalisa]

I would wait and get them at the library.  We have an amazing library system and I really try to get everything there.  I used to be a HGUE book shopper, but once I started staying home I realized that this was an expense I could really cut back on.  I would rather buy something that is going to be reused and played with often than a book, especially if it's only going to be read once.  If it was something that they would reread I'd be all over it though.

[Llyra]

If the child loved them, and I had the money, yeah, I'd buy them. My DD1 LOVES those, and also reads them really quickly, but I consider it money well-spent.

If money was tight, and I had a very limited budget for books and other similar things, then I wouldn't-- I'd aim for books that would be a longer-lasting pleasure.

[Daffodil]

If my kid had specifically asked for those books, I'd consider getting them, but if she hadn't, I'd save my money for something I thought would have more long-term value.  It sounds like she'd love it if she got them, but she doesn't know they're available and won't be disappointed if she doesn't get them, right?

[countrymom]

I would.

Christmas is (for me) a time to treat loved ones to special gifts above the ordinary.

And reading is a wonderful cause to support & splurge on...(Also if she doesn't want to re-read or keep in her personal library--you can resell the books and get some of the $ back)

[Alyantavid]

Originally Posted by countrymom 

I would.

Christmas is (for me) a time to treat loved ones to special gifts above the ordinary.

And reading is a wonderful cause to support & splurge on...(Also if she doesn't want to re-read or keep in her personal library--you can resell the books and get some of the $ back)

That.  My kids always get books as gifts and if there was a specific set that would make them that happy, I'd absolutely get them.
 

[deditus]

Yep, I agree with 2 PP. I would get them. Reading was my main passion and joy when I was young and I would have enjoyed such a wonderful surprise.

[34me]

On of the best birthday presents dh ever got me was the Canadian version of Harry Potter (we are in the US), so yeah I would probably get them. However, if the Playmobile Hospital is her "big gift" I might wait and get the US version for a birthday, or other gift giving occasion.

[katelove]

Yes to all of this. I like to buy people useful "treats" as Christmas gifts too. And I *love* reading. I used to get through my Christmas books really quickly but it never diminished the pleasure of reading them.

Originally Posted by countrymom 

I would.

Christmas is (for me) a time to treat loved ones to special gifts above the ordinary.

And reading is a wonderful cause to support & splurge on...(Also if she doesn't want to re-read or keep in her personal library--you can resell the books and get some of the $ back)

[BellinghamCrunchie]

I have done that before, and convinced myself that it wouldn't be that much money in the end because I would resell them when DD was done with them, and I did. Could you do something like that? Ebay or Craigslist them afterwards, or put them away in her special "baby things" collection for her to share with her own child when she is an adult?

[TiredX2]

Personally, I feel like there are so many excellent books out there that we can enjoy for years and years that I *try* to avoid buying books that will be a "read once" type of thing.  It just seems wasteful, both monetarily and environmentally, to me.  I was less careful with DD than with DS, but one reason was that I knew that DS would go through a lot of the books that DD read (we owned all of the Magic Tree House & Droon books, for example, but both kids read them more than once and we've loaned them out to many people, now passed all the MTH on to a cousin).

[mrskingred]

I answered "yes" because I love books and reading, although I have now switched to ebooks. I would probably order a few from somewhere that ships internationally for free like http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/9781408309063/ When she was finished with them, I would sell them. Otherwise in your situation I would wait for them to come into the library. I'm currently spending a fortune on books atm, because I want to read and encourage reading in my DS and the books at the library here are in euskara or castellan. The only english-language kids books I have found here, are at least double the list price, so it is actually cheaper for me to order them from the UK.

[Geofizz]

Honestly, I wouldn't.

While the Rainbow Magic books were the gateway drug in our house, they are library books only. The new ones will hit the library eventually. (Oddly, I think the ocean and magic animals ones have been through our house)

We buy books that will be used in a way that's not compatible with using the library -- either something we'll write in or reused/reread several times. We work hard to minimize the extent of book overflow in this house. We might buy a book we think is ideal for a read aloud, but that's about it.

[onlyzombiecat]

If she would only read them once I would not pay $50  for them. I would just wait and get them from the library or something.

[ameliabedelia]

I would not buy them.  I would wait and get them from the library.

If she would read them over and over again, that would be a different story.   But, if she's not the type of kid to do that, then no way. 

The only books we buy really are consumables (like workbooks, scrapbooks, etc.) or reference books that would be used over and over again.  Very rarely have  I bought a fiction book that would be read only once.

[LynnS6]

OK, so the range of opinions are exactly the debates going on in my head!

She doesn't know they're possibly available so it would be a complete surprise (which would be fun to see). I don't know if our library system is just slow to get some of them, but I can find some of them online but not in our library system (and I checked several other systems around the country and they don't seem to have them either). My 'fear' is that they are going to be so slow in coming to the library that dd will outgrow them before they get here. I could probably resell them, if dd would be willing to part with them (she's a bit of a hoarder). I could easily recoup > 50% of my money that way, I'm sure.

But it does seem wasteful/extravagant for something that she'll use for such little time. She's moved on to other books that I think are better written (they have character development!) and are definitely not so formulaic. She's still very interested in the Rainbow Magic books (she looked wistfully through the collection the last time we were at the library just to make sure she'd read them all), but the fervor that was there this summer is gone. And describing them as a 'gateway drug' is pretty accurate!

ugh... I dunno. I found a set via Amazon that would be $39 + $4 shipping -- is $43 better than $50? I've got a 425 amazon gift certificate..... 

OK the truth is that I really do want to buy them for her, but feel it's just over the top. I don't want Christmas to be entirely about 'stuff'. But I do love to see my kids thrilled.... UGH!!!! I'm usually so good at making decisions.

[LaLaLaLa]

I wouldn't, but that's partly because I so ardently hate those fairies.

Also, it seems they are popular enough at our library that we are getting the British ones direct.  DD has gotten her hands on several of the magical creature ones, and last week we read one of the green ones.  When we read the sports ones awhile ago, they were also the British versions; "netball" threw me for a serious loop.  Are you sure your library won't get them sooner than you think?  Is there a way to scout around other local libraries?

[waiting2bemommy]

If I had the money, yes I probably would. I love love love to see my kids' faces light up. If it would put a dent in another aspect of the holiday taking money from something for the whole family) that would be reason to rethink it. But I would do it, and then like others suggested, take her to a used book store to sell them.

[LuckyMommaToo]

My DS is exactly the same. Loves to read, won't re-read. I almost never buy him books now except for things like a Guinness Book of World Records, or Wizardology. (And I thank my lucky stars for our amazing library!)

In your case, I wouldn't do it. I would look around to see if there's another, more special fairy book (like Fairyopolis) that has some longer value (beautiful pictures, little letters to take out, whatever). But I understand the impulse, and there are certainly worse things you could spend your money on!
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[pixiekisses]

Oh yes, I would absolutely do that!

I wouldn't even hesitate, reading joy and the surprise and thrill she would get, it's all about that.