LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Celebrate Independent Bookstore Day with free events and giveaways


Storytime at Bel and Bunna's Books in Lafayette. Photo provided

Orinda Books and Bel and Bunna's Books will be participating in Independent Bookstore Day on Saturday, April 27, a national one-day party taking place at most independent book stores across the country. This is the fifth year of the event, which was started by the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association.

Ten years ago it seemed that independent bookstores were slowly becoming a thing of the past, but since 2009 there has been a yearly increase in the number of stores despite the growth of online book retailers. There are now over 1,700 independent book stores nationally, which have reshaped the concept of a book store. In addition to selling carefully selected books, successful book stores have become community gathering places and now host many events throughout the year. Orinda Books has been in business since 1976. In addition to author events, owner Maria Roden hosts book clubs, workshops, and story times. She also makes space for local artists to display their work and hosts Artist's Opening Receptions. Bel and Bunna's Books, which focuses on children's books, sponsors events such as a "Making Connections" class for new parents and their babies to learn how to connect through touch and feel, led by a children's physical therapist.

This year's Independent Bookstore Day will include a Bookstore Passport Game. Book lovers can pick up their passports now at any independent book store and begin collecting stamps from stores they visit through April 27. Stamped passports can then be turned in on that day for a chance to win prizes, including gift certificates.

Orinda Books plans to have local children's authors Michael Slack and Lindy Novak reading their books from 10:15 a.m. to noon. Also at 11 a.m., two publishers from Penguin Random House and Macmillan will present their favorite new books for summer, and at 3 p.m. Vilunya Diskin, a founding author of "Our Bodies Ourselves," will discuss the 50th anniversary of the book. There will also be live music, refreshments and giveaways throughout the day.

Bel and Bunna's Books, which has been at 3581 C Mt. Diablo Blvd. in Lafayette since 2016, will have story times at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., and throughout the day will offer crafts, giveaways, signed copies of books and other events.

For more information: www.indiebookstoreday.org, www.orindabooks.com, www.belandbunnasbooks.com.