The book fair is one number

The book fair flyer lands in the same pile as the costume note and the class party sheet. Graphic novel. Poster. A bin of erasers that look like candy. Your kid will walk that library during the school day. You will not be in the aisle unless you go back at night.

This week's tactic: send one number, about $20 to $25, and put books ahead of toys. Penn Valley Elementary in Lower Merion posted that range for its October 19 to 22 fair. On the fall flyer, a graphic novel can run about $14.99, so two books can use the whole cap before anybody touches an eraser. Write it on the envelope, or load a Scholastic eWallet, the night before. Skip the debit card in the backpack. A card has no ceiling once they are in line.

Cash and an eWallet are not the same leftover. Some fairs are coinless, so change from a twenty goes to Share the Fair. An eWallet keeps what they did not spend in the parent account. Read your school's note before you assume the ten comes home in a pocket. The book fair is one number walkthrough has the short lines for the kid and for family night.

This week, before the library visit: pick the number, load it or write it, and say books first. Somebody else's stack is not your receipt.

See you next Sunday.