The Reading Bug - San Carlos, California

Judy Margaret Chen

A cute bookstore that seems to dedicated to little ones. We stumbled upon this book store in Downtown San Carlos. It was a great experience. My baby was being a bit grumpy and clingy, but the moment he entered this store, he got all energized again.

They have a lot of merchandises for kids from books, toys to plushies, DIY kits. Some you wouldn’t see at a normal Target.

I would say it was a good experience, however, some items were kinda pricey, like a small piece of mini stickers for $6. When I checked the receipt, I was taken a back.

My baby wanted 2 book, but one is a flip and flap book which he already has 2 at home, so I coerced him into having stickers instead, thinking it’d be less expensive and he actually can play with. Should have gone for the book!

Anna Wright

I recently attended a signing event at your store, which I've been anticipating for an entire week and traveled an hour for. However, my experience was marred by an interaction with an employee who seemed stressed and overwhelmed. While I understand the demands of working in a busy bookstore (it was the end of the day, lots of effort was put in, and other people probably gave her a worse attitude), I felt her communication style was abrupt and confusing.

Specifically, explaining the book purchase requirement for the event could have been clearer. My group and I were eager to support the author and your store but felt unwelcome due to the employee's tone. I had actually met the author and media escort a couple days ago and they had told me that when I attend this event, to just go to them, so I was just a bit confused and trying to clarify, but kept getting cut off. The people I was with (two normally very calm and chill people) were really upset.

I want to emphasize that I appreciate your store's efforts to host author events. As someone who solely buys from local bookstores, I value your store's contributions to the book community. My group and I had just hoped to have a better experience meeting a cherished author while visiting the store for the first time.

To improve future events, please consider providing clearer guidelines on event requirements and training staff on effective communication. A polite and welcoming approach would enhance the overall experience.

Thank you for your attention, and I look forward to future visits.

Polina R

Great local children’s book store with a fantastic selection and helpful and knowledgeable staff. If you have a young reader in your life, this place offers curated customized reading box subscriptions based on child’s interest and reading level. They make great gifts!

Kelly Fillmore

We love the Reading Bug Adventures Podcast and were super excited to find out the family bookstore wasn't too far from us. Our visit wasn't disappointing! We did story time with Lauren and then explored the bookstore. It is a lovely little bookstore with books for each of my kids to be excited about (and me too 🙂

Shruti Shah

Highly recommend the subscription. I love shopping for books for my children but it has been hard to find new themes and books through online retailers. I have also tried local bookstores but mostly end up seeing popular books in stock. This subscription box has opened our world to new writers, stories from
Other countries amd topics that even we didn’t think about. P.S. to make the most out of my experience I make sure I send them notes after each box or if I have new theme in mind. They put in great thought for the next box.

My kid is loving every book sent by them. Thank you!

Yamini Chandrasekaran

I absolutely love this store. This is our go to place to pick up birthday gifts for young kids. They have got a nice variety of books, puzzles and small activities to keep kids engaged. The staff here are knowledgable and really helpful!

anasuya ray

It's a quiet, happy place for kids of all ages. We headed there on a cold morning and were greeted by cheerful voices of little kids waiting for the story time to begin. The book collection is also very impressive. There is a small play area at the back of the store. The story hour was so much fun. Not only did the kids enjoy, we the parents loved it as well. They have these cute stools to sit on. Overall a lovely outing place for a weekend morning with your whole family.

Dora Lam

The Reading Bug is a gem of a store in downtown San Carlos. Family-run, super knowledgeable staff, and a colorful selection of books, toys, games and more. It's a fun store to browse around and they put on free weekly storytime events for your littles. They also have a very popular subscription box. Bezos doesn't need more of your money - support your local bookstore instead!