by Johanna McCalmont
On a blog about books, it will come as no surprise that your editors and contributors all spend a LOT of time in bookshops all over the world! To celebrate 10 years of World Kid Lit, we’ve come up with a list of just a few of our favourites. I’ll start with a few of my favourites and then travel across the continents to check out some of our contributors’ favourites. So if you’re looking to treat yourself to some world kid lit for September, you know where to go. You might even be able to pick up a free World Kid Lit Month bookmark!
The Secret Bookshelf – Carrickfergus, UK
It’s no surprise that I always manage to fit in at least one visit, maybe two, to The Secret Bookshelf any time I visit family and friends in Northern Ireland. Hidden in a quiet courtyard, this little shop is a real Tardis, as the owners Jo & Chris like to say. There is a cute corner for kids and regular readings during school holidays organised by kidlit specialist Deborah. All the booksellers are super friendly and always happy to chat. If you’re in town during the holidays, check out their socials for info about events. Voted Best Indie Bookshop in Ireland in 2024 and 2026.
Le Wolf – Brussels, Belgium
If you ever visit my adopted home of Brussels with small children, then be sure to pop into this multilingual bookshop just off the main historic Grand Place. As you might have guessed from the name, Le Wolf has a Little Red Riding Hood theme. Most of the books are in French and Dutch, with a strong focus on Belgian authors and illustrators, but a small selection of books in English is also available. Language isn’t a barrier, however, when it comes to visiting the fairytale Wolf’s hut and exploring well-known stories. There is also a new storytelling cabin in the centre of the shop where young readers can pick a story to listen too. The shop also hosts writing and illustration workshops for adults and regular events with Belgian creators.
Bimbi Books – Brussels, Belgium
Another one of my’s favorite places in Brussels is Bimbi Books. A truly multilingual bookshop with books in French, German, Dutch, English, Spanish and Portuguese. Rocio is the life and soul of the bookstore and always happy to chat, offer tips and order in your favourite titles. If you’re in town on a Saturday, be sure to check the schedule on Instagram because there’s a good chance you can drop in for a reading – or even spot me on the programme!
Ottimomassimo – Rome, Italy
When two World Kid Lit co-editors – Jackie & Johanna – happen to be in Rome at the same time, where do they decide to meet up? At one of the coolest kids bookshops in Trastevere of course! Jackie and I enjoyed browsing the beautiful picture books, dipping in and out of cool middle grade stories, checking out the events space at the back of the store, and above all chatting to the bookseller who had lots of tips after BCBF and was also planning a new international project on the island of Lampedusa. We even tried on cute T-shirts …. we’ll leave you to guess who bought one! Instagram
McNally Jackson Books – New York, USA
I was delighted to discover this amazing indie bookstore & café right next to my hotel on a trip to NYC a couple of years ago! There was a great selection of translated kid lit dotted across the shelves and even displayed by the till as part of special feature. I had fun spotting familiar names and stories! The staff were lovely and one bookseller even indulged me and helped me photograph one of my first ever translations I’d seen on a shelf!
And now for a few more from the rest of the World Kid Lit crew across the world!
How Brave is the Wren – Birmingham, UK
Ruth Donnelly and Georgia Wall are both huge fans of How Brave is the Wren where you will be greeted with a friendly welcome, books and events for all ages – from free story times for preschoolers to the joyous annual picture book appreciation society meet-up for adults. Jenny curates a wonderful selection of picture books from around the world. Biscuits for browsers too. Jenny, the owner, also organises the Wordplay Festival every year, which brings loads of children’s authors and illustrators into local schools to speak to kids. She runs lots of workshops from the shop and in collaboration with other local businesses, and she’s always up for supporting World Kid Lit wherever possible!
Check our our Bookseller Spotlight on How Brave is the Wren here.
La Librería – Los Angeles, USA
World Kid Lit social media guru Charisma Lee highly recommends LA Librería, a bookstore in Los Angeles, California, that specialises in imported books from fine publishing houses in Latin America and Spain. Its carefully curated catalogue reflects the rich culture and history, and the ethnic and linguistic diversity of Spanish speaking countries and communities.
“As a collection development librarian, I find that they offer a superb selection of titles from independent kidlit publishers across Latin America. Their staff are friendly as well.”
1949 Books – Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
Heading back across the ocean to the continent of Africa and we have writer & translator Edwige Dro’s own library in Abidjan. 1949 is a library of women’s writings from Africa and by Black authors worldwide. Dro’s aim is to unearth and amplify the contributions of African and Black women to inspire present and future generations. The library space is a hive of activity and a hub for the local kids too. Younger children can join the Saturday-morning balades littéraires storytelling sessions and travel Africa through picture books, taking them from Nigeria to Mauritius and beyond.
Read more in our blog post here, and explore Africa via picture books with our booklist here.
Bookworm Cafe – Lagos, Nigeria
Nigerian writer Ayo Oyeku has a favourite place in Lagos: the Bookworm Cafe, an African grassroots literacy movement empowering readers to become leaders, and a cosy bookshop for kids and young adults.
It launched in 2016, after founder, Farida Ladipo-Ajayi received a $5,000 grant from the Tony Elumelu Foundation. It’s been 10 years, and this bookshop continues to give Nigerian kids the appetite to keep reading both local and international children’s books.
La Audacia – La Paz, Bolivia
Bolivian author Mariana Ruiz’s top tip is La Audacia in La Paz. This independent bookstore, although small, makes a great effort on including diverse titles for both adult readers and their kids. It has a reading area on the top floor for children and their parents to come up and browse the shelves together. And if you visit during the summer holidays, you might be lucky enough to catch one of Mariana’s art workshops for kids!
Lightroom Bookstore – Bangalore, India
If you’re ever in Bangalore, be sure to visit reviewer Laura Simeon’s recommendation: Lightroom Books. They not only have a bookstore with a hand-picked collection ranging from beloved classics to some lesser-known ones, including a strong presence of Indian as well as international publishers, they also partner with schools and libraries to offer support with developing their collections.
Closetful of Books – Singapore
Still in Asia, Maureen Tai & Helen Wang would like to give a shoutout to Closetful of Books in Singapore, a roaming bookstore that specialises in children’s literature.
Founded in 2013 on the firm belief that every child can become a super-duper voracious reader, this pop-up bookshop is dedicated to helping educators nurture in their students a love for stories. We aim to do this through our book fairs, interactive author visits and comprehensive library services.
Unity Books – Auckland, New Zealand
Writer Karin Redclift takes us to the Southern Hemisphere with her tip: Unity Books and its kids bookstore next door, Little Unity.
Nuts and Shells – Toronto, Canada
And Maureen Tai takes us back up north again to wrap up our bookstore world tour at Nuts and Shells in Canada, an independent children’s bookshop for readers ages 0–YA, thoughtfully curated to spark imagination and a lifelong love of books.
About Johanna McCalmont
Johanna McCalmont grew up in Northern Ireland and now lives in Brussels, Belgium, where she enjoys helping others to communicate effectively across cultures and languages through her work as a translator and interpreter. She translates and interprets from French, German, Italian and Dutch and is one of the co-editors of this blog. Read more about her here.
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