Independent Bookstore Day

Common Good Books and bookstores across the US will be celebrating Independent Bookstore Day on April 30. We’re putting out the red carpet to showcase the best of what bookstores can do. Join us, starting at at 10:00am, for a day of literary fun.

Only on Independent Bookstore Day

Indie bookstores are always filled with books you can’t easily find elsewhere, but on April 30 we’ll also have one-of-a-kind merchandise you can only get on  Independent Bookstore Day. Stop by to check out the stencils, music, tea towels, and even an adorable Curious George toy. These items are available first come, first served, and quantities are very, very limited. But there’s plenty more in store for you on April 30...

Alice in (Tattoo) Chains

Common Good Books is working with Litographs and bookstores across the country to bring Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass to life on bodies like yours. Stop by on Independent Bookstore Day to pick up a free temporary tattoo featuring one of 5,258 unique phrases from Lewis Carroll's classic novels. Apply the tattoo, take a picture, and post it online. Litographs will compile your picture and thousands of others to make a gallery of literature in real life.

Without You (Authors), We (Readers) Are Nothing

Where would bookstores be without authors and their books? To celebrate our hardworking partners, Common Good Books is hosting a few of our favorite writers. At 10:00am, you can meet Kate DiCamillo, author of the beloved Because of Winn-Dixie, Tale of Despereaux, and most recently Raymie Nightingale--among many other fantastic stories. She’ll be signing books and dishing out her advice to readers young and old. And at 2:00pm, meet contributors to A Good Time for the Truth: Race in Minnesota. Sun Yung Shin, Heid Erdrich, and Ibe will be here to lead a conversation about one of the year’s most important books. Stop by to be reminded of how much good a book can do for our community.

Your Passport to the World (of Books)

Ten bookstores around the Twin Cities have joined forces to encourage your wanderlust with a passport to independent bookstores in our fair cities. Get your copy at Common Good Books or any of the participating stores. When you visit the bookstores, have your passport stamped. Collect all ten stamps, take a picture of your completed passport, and tweet it to @midwestbooks to receive a $10 gift certificate from all the participating stores. Visit five or more stores, and you can get a free bookstore poster from the passport’s illustrator Kevin Cannon. Discover the world of bookstores right in your own backyard with this handy guide.

Find a Bookstore Near You

Common Good Books isn’t the only place you can celebrate Independent Bookstore Day. There are literally dozens of bookstores in the Midwest. Pick up a map of stores in the Twin Cities or visit www.midwestbooksellers.org to find a store near you or to discover a new favorite.