Books & Books @ The Studios of Key West, the island’s new independent book store at 533 Eaton Street, will host a celebration of books and community on Sunday, May 15 from 10am-6pm, with supporting entertainment and opportunities presented by Key West Montessori Charter School.

“Books & Books is happy to offer this day to the community and to the Montessori charter school to help encourage enthusiasm for books and reading,” says store manager Mia Clement. “We look forward to supporting an appreciation of the literary arts in the younger minds of our island.”

The in-store Community Book Fair celebration is free and open to all, featuring story time readings at 11:30 am and 1:30 pm, a 2:30 pm ukulele performance by the school’s students in partnership with Bahama Village Music Program, and—of course— a wide selection of carefully curated books for all ages, with more than 3,000 titles and over 75 running feet of shelves. With celebrated author Judy Blume as a co-founder and driving force behind the new non-profit store, chances are she’ll be on hand to lead customers to the best in new (and old) selections.

“I’m pretty sure that there are some kids unfamiliar with the act of browsing in a book store,” says Key West Montessori Charter School board president Leslie Concepcion. “To think that now they can do that and get a recommendation from an iconic author makes me really happy for Key West!”

Though the event is new to the store’s offerings, the relationship Books & Books has with the public Montessori school is not. Concepcion had long been a customer of the Coral Gables Books & Books while living in Miami, and even after moving to Key West more than a decade ago, she continued to visit the store four hours north of her in order to “wander the aisles and attend author events,” she says. A few years after her 7^th grade son Nico began attending the free Montessori charter school, she sought out the store’s director of educational sales to increase the quality of the book fairs the school had currently provided.

“Ever since, the teachers at our school prepare wish lists and recommended reading ideas for kids and together with the Books and Books buyers, we put together a wonderful selection of literary fiction, research, biography and more for our kids,” she says “The buzz around the school during the book fairs is energizing, with kids practically running to check out selections and older kids excitedly sharing recommendations with the younger ones.”

Books & Books will donate 10% of the day’s sales to the public charter school when shoppers present the school’s special “bookmark,” (which can be found at the school & many local businesses or by emailing [email protected]). The school also presents shoppers a chance to win a $100 gift certificate with any purchase made using the bookmark.

“We cherish our community partnerships and really appreciate their support,” says Concepcion. “This is going to be is a great opportunity for people to come together to celebrate books and to witness the incredible effect literature can have on our youth.”

For more information about the Community Book Fair Celebration at Books & Books or how to include Books & Books as a resource in your school’s book fair, call Leslie at 305.587.4130 or visit booksandbookskw.com.