Giving kids books of their own is a great way to encourage a love of reading. Nestled in a cozy red brick house built in the 1820s, Main Street Books is a charming bookstore located in Historic St. Charles.  

Main Street Books offers a wide variety of books for children, teens and adults, and a large portion of the bookstore is dedicated specifically to children’s books. Downstairs, the store houses picture books, both hard- and paperback, and a great selection of affordable beginning readers. Because Main Street Books is an independent bookstore, it offers books you may not be able to find at a chain store. It also carries a substantial selection of Missouri books, including picture books like S is for Show Me, A Missouri Alphabet by Judy Young and signed copies of books by Missouri authors. Owner Vicky Erwin has published more than 20 children's books herself and can make great recommendations on books for your children.

What makes this bookstore especially fun is the upstairs. A wooden staircase leads to a room with comfy furniture, beanbag chairs and books for older children and teens. A lot of young adult fiction, for instance Twilight or The Hunger Games, is popular with adults, too, so you just might find a great read that you and your teen can both enjoy.

Another bonus: Main Street Books is small enough that you can feel comfortable letting your elementary schoolers look around by themselves while you peruse the adult selection.

Main Street Books has an inviting ambiance that makes for a great outing with your kids. There is free, street-side parking and additional free parking one block east near the Missouri River. While you're at Historic St. Charles, you may also want to enjoy a local restaurant, Frontier Park, the Katy Trail and the Lewis and Clark Boathouse & Nature Center. They are all within walking distance of Main Street Books.

Main Street Books is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

Main Street Books
307 S. Main St.
St. Charles, MO
636-946-0105
www.mainstreetbooks.net

Shannon Moore and her family have lived in a number of different cities throughout the U.S. but calls St. Louis home. With five children between the ages of 20 and 7, she values activities that can span a wide range of ages and interests. She loves reading and is a faithful fan of the library’s summer reading program. A stay-at-home mom for 20 years, Shannon now teaches writing at St. Charles Community College. She is a freelance writer and a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Shannon blogs about childrens' books at www.greatbooksforchildren.com. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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