Ask any grown-up about the book that made them fall in love with reading, and their eyes will light up. Maybe it was a dog-eared picture book read so many times the spine gave up. Maybe it was a chapter book devoured under the covers by torchlight. Children’s books have a special kind of magic, and when you buy them through Hive, that magic travels a little further than your own bookshelf.
Hive is an online bookshop with a lovely twist. While it delivers books straight to your door, it also works hand in hand with a network of independent bookshops across the UK. Every time you shop, a share of your purchase can go to the local bookseller you choose. So that new bedtime story is not just a treat for your little reader. It is a small gift to the bookshop on your high street too.
A Reading Nook That Supports Your High Street
Independent bookshops are often the heart of a town. They host story times, recommend hidden gems and know exactly which dragon adventure will hook a reluctant reader. Hive lets you keep that heart beating even on the days when you shop from the sofa in your slippers.
You can pick a favourite local bookshop to support, and it receives a percentage of what you spend. It is a gentle, almost invisible act of kindness. You browse, you choose, you order, and somewhere nearby a bookseller gets a little boost to keep their shelves stocked and their doors open.
Collect From Your Local Shop or Have It Delivered
One of the nicest touches is the choice of how your books reach you. Delivery to your home is wonderfully convenient when the week is busy. Yet there is something rather special about collecting an order from an independent shop in the network instead.
Picture it: a Saturday morning wander, a child skipping along beside you, and a parcel waiting behind the counter with their name on it. While you are there, you might discover a new series, meet the bookseller and turn a simple errand into a little adventure. For families, that ritual can become a treasured part of growing up with books.
The Children’s Book of the Month
If you are ever stuck for what to read next, the Hive homepage is a lovely place to start. Alongside its Book of the Month for adults, it spotlights a Children’s Book of the Month, giving young readers a fresh story to look forward to. A recent pick was The Ice Cream Crocodile, the kind of title that makes children giggle before you have even opened the cover.
These monthly features take the guesswork out of choosing. Rather than scrolling endlessly, you get a friendly nudge towards something new, whether it is a picture book to share at bedtime or a story an older child can enjoy on their own.
Building a Little Library at Home
Children grow fast, and so do their tastes. One month it is dinosaurs, the next it is mermaids, space or detective stories. Shopping for children’s books on Hive makes it easy to keep up with every new obsession, with a huge catalogue to browse from the comfort of home.
A home library does not need to be grand. A single shelf, a basket by the bed or a stack on the windowsill all work beautifully. What matters is that books are within easy reach and that new ones arrive often enough to keep curiosity alive. Let your child help choose on Hive, read the blurbs together and make every new arrival feel like an occasion.
Gifts That Keep on Giving
Books make some of the most thoughtful presents for birthdays, holidays or just because. A carefully chosen story says you know a child and what makes them smile. When that book comes from Hive, it carries an extra layer of goodness, because it helps an independent bookshop thrive.
So the next time a little reader in your life needs a new adventure, think of the high street as well as the bedtime story. Choose a book, choose a bookshop to support and enjoy knowing that every page turned helps keep the wonderful world of independent bookselling alive for the next generation of readers.
