It's Time to Crawl for Books!

 

Save the Date!

Bluestocking Books is ready for the 13th annual San Diego Book Crawl on April 25-27, 2026! Are you? Join in the fast and furious fun as book lovers of all ages fill their passports with visits to 15 participating bookstores and qualify for prizes that will be available as long as supplies last, so plan your route and get an early start! Follow SD Book Crawl for up-to-the-minute information.

Independent Bookstore Day

Independent Bookstore Day and Canadian Independent Bookstore Day are on April 25, 2026. Independent Bookstore Day isa nationwide celebration of bookstores. Each bookstore celebrates in its own way with author meet and greets, live music, foodie treats, scavenger hunts, creative projects, readings, contests, and other fun activities. There will also be exclusive swag available for the day. Wherever you are in North America, celebrate in your own way with your local bookstores.

LeVar Burton is the 2026 Indie Bookstore Ambassador, which includes championing independent bookstores on Indie Bookstore Day!

“It is an extraordinary honor to be chosen as ABA’s Indie Bookstore Ambassador. From my earliest memories, books carried me beyond the world I knew. They let me explore distant planets, ancient kingdoms, and lives very different from my own. Independent bookstores are where those explorations began. They are sanctuaries of possibility where a single story can change a life.” - LeVar Burton

Libro.fm Indie Bookstore Day Audiobook Sale

Libro.fm will be having an Independent Bookshop Appreciation sale April 20 - 26, 2026. Thousands of bestsellers and bookseller favorites will be on sale. Customers do not need to be a member to shop the sale, but members do take an additional 30% off.

In April, folks can start a new one-credit per month membership on Libro.fm with code BOOKSTOREDAY and get three audiobooks for the price of one (offer not valid on membership restarts).

There will be other promotions for Indie Bookstore Day from Libro, so follow Bluestocking Books on Instagram for updates before the Crawl!

Visit Bluestocking Books in person at 3817 Fifth Avenue in Hillcrest, San Diego, and online at bluestockingbooks.com.

It was one of those March days...

 

“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.”

― Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

Indeed, Dickens sums up the exact weather in San Diego right now. However, the rains in Southern California have resulted in an early spring superbloom.

The Flower Fields in Carlsbad are a shimmering living rainbow every spring. Guests can wander among brilliant, giant Tecolote Ranunculus flowers, stroll the scenic walking paths, and enjoy fun activities for the whole family. March 1 - March 10. Get your tickets and go outside to play!

March 1215, 2026, The Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park will celebrate the tradition of hanami, or "flower viewing" during the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. Nothing can upstage the beauty of the blooms, but additional activities will be offered during the event, such as an art exhibit, a wall of lanterns, food, beer, sake, vendors, and performers. Grab your tickets now!

February is for Book Lovers

 

You don’t need a holiday to bask in the glow of literary love, but for those who like to make it official, February is National Library Lovers’ Month. Started by the Friends and Foundations of California Libraries in 2003, National Library Lovers’ Month is an annual observance held throughout the entire month of February to celebrate the value of libraries, librarians, and the people who love them.

The month of February is dedicated to recognizing libraries as community hubs where people can find connections beyond books, such as e-books, databases, research tools, movies, music, story times, STEAM programs, literacy programs, and more.

Celebrate National Library Lovers’ Month by taking part in special events and challenges hosted by your public library. 

For seasoned patrons, write love notes to show appreciation for your library staff on February 14, partake in events listed on your library’s calendar, and consider volunteering with your Friends of the Library group. Speak with a branch manager to find your local chapter.

Is this the beginning of your library journey? Start by obtaining a library card and meeting the librarians by letting them know your special interests. Take a “shelfie” in front of your favorite book section and post it to your social media. Borrow books, DVDs, and audiobooks. Explore programs and events. Utilize digital resources. Ask about special collections and archive tours. Ask about free or reduced-price tickets to local museums, zoos, and cultural attractions. Check for availability of tools and maker labs for 3D printers, sewing machines, and audio recording booths.

“I always knew from that moment, from the time I found myself at home in that little segregated library in the South, all the way up until I walked up the steps of the New York City library, I always felt, in any town, if I can get to a library, I’ll be OK. It really helped me as a child, and that never left me.” —Maya Angelou

Penguin Random House compiled a list of fiction books featuring libraries and librarians across all genres and for all ages.

Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year

 

"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year" wrote the American Transcendentalist philosopher and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson in his book "Society and Solitude", first published in 1870.

The quote is found in chapter seven, "Works and Days" - Emerson's essay on how humans perceive and value their time in which he explores mindfulness and the importance of living in the moment.

Emerson's philosophy aligns with core mindfulness principles such as Radical Presence ("own the day"); Letting Go of the Past ("finish every day and be done with it"); Intentionality and Perception ("today is the best day"); and Connection to Nature and Spirit (nature exists in a constant "today").

These are perfect principles to bring into the Gregorian New Year of 2026!

Interested in reading more Emerson? Order new copies of "Society and Solitude" via Bluestocking Books on Bookshop.org.

Mary at Bluestocking Books thinks Emerson's mindfulness manifests perfectly in the ten "inalienable rights" listed in Daniel Pennac's "The Rights of the Reader" :

1. The right not to read.
2. The right to skip pages.
3. The right not to finish a book.
4. The right to re-read.
5. The right to read anything. (Including "bad novels" or genre fiction)
6. The right to "Bovary-ism," a textually transmitted disease (the right to want a life like in the books, or the right to escapism).
7. The right to read anywhere.
8. The right to peck here and there. (The right to browse or dip in).
9. The right to read out loud.
10. The right to be silent. (The right not to defend your tastes or explain your relationship with a book).

James Patterson Holiday Bonus Program

Bluestocking Books is thrilled to be one of the bookstore recipients of James Patterson's Holiday Bonus Program! Mr. Patterson pledged a total of $300,000 in $500 increments to 600 booksellers from the American Booksellers Association bookstores. 

Bluestocking Books is delighted to be in the company of all the recipients, especially our fellow booksellers in San Diego - Hey Books! and Mysterious Galaxy. Congrats to all the bookshops!

From all of us at Bluestocking Books to all of you - have a happy and healthy...

Hello Gift Giving Season

 

December is here. In sunny San Diego that means periwinkle and orange sunsets and scarf weather. 

Hillcrest has options to celebrate the arrival of the winter holidays! Enjoy a San Diego Fog Latte at Hazel and Jade to warm your heart. Shop for the creatives in your life at the Artist & Craftsman Supply. Connect with your spiritual side at Wonders of the Earth. And, of course, dip into literature here at Bluestocking Books! The bookstore is chock full of delights for the season, including gently used books in all genres; LIFE Magazines from the 1940s-1970s; and new reprints of classics and customer favorites. Our staff is prepared to assist you in finding just the right tomes for however you celebrate the season - Jolabokaflod, Solstice, Yule, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas. Place your orders before December 15 for best arrival times. We love fulfilling your requests, so bring ‘em on! Please inquire NOW so that we may procure the best copies in time for Santa’s Christmas Eve visit. Bluestocking Books also has gift wrapping available for a fee, greeting cards, antique Christmas and New Year postcards.

Shop Hillcrest For The Holidays

Would you like a chance at winning a shopping spree in Hillcrest? Along with our neighboring restaurants and other retail businesses, we are participating in Shop Hillcrest for the Holidays from Friday November 28 through Wednesday December 24. When you spend $15 or more (one ticket for one purchase per day) at Bluestocking Books you will be offered an opportunity-drawing ticket to fill out and submit for a prospect of winning a $2000 shopping spree in Hillcrest! Every participating business has treats for you to win. Find out more at Fabulous Hillcrest. Each participating business may have different entry qualifications, so do inquire when you visit those shops and restaurants. 

Taste ‘n’ Tinis

If you enjoy a tipple in the winter wonderland of brisk Hillcrest, Taste ‘n’ Tinis may be the event for you! Taste ‘n’ Tinis returns in 2025 on Thursday, December 11 from 5:30PM until 9:00PM. Local shops and restaurants will be designing and serving signature cocktails to sip while you shop. Participating Hillcrest restaurants will offer an array of signature dishes, specialty appetizers, and decadent desserts. Get tickets at Fabulous Hillcrest for this 21+ event.

 Holiday Hours

Bluestocking Books will be open on Wednesday, December 24th (Christmas Eve) between 11AM and 2PM for last minute shoppers. But here’s the thing - books produce an instant holiday and can be given because it’s Tuesday, because it’s sunny, because it’s overcast, and because your loved one needs a hug. Books can express “I See You”, “Thank You”, and “You’re Superl!” 

Bluestocking Books will be closed December 25 and December 31. As for Jan 1, 2025 - call when you wake up to see if we showed up!

Gumball Poetry

Bluestocking Books recently installed a Gumball Poetry dispenser featuring seven San Diego poets. Twenty-five cents - one lone quarter - will give you something to chew on (metaphorically-speaking). Enjoy some poet-treats when you visit the book shoppe!

We should just be thankful for being together

"We should just be thankful for being together. I think that's what they mean by 'Thanksgiving', Charlie Brown."  Marcie, 1973

Click on image to order the book "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving"

Autumn is in the Air!

Spooky Reads at Boooostocking Booooks!

Shadows close in as the days get shorter and the evenings cool and settle into sweater weather. During the remaining hot days, especially if you don't have air conditioning, you may want to cool down with a chilling story. Bluestocking Books has some spine-tingling recommendations in our thoughtfully curated horror section in-store and online.

If horror is not your genre, never fear - Bluestocking Books stocks and orders all genres of books. Stop by, call, or email with your book wish lists and we will locate the titles for you.

Bluestocking Books has some suggestions for the younger set this 'ween season:

The "Little Ghostie Finger Puppet Book" illustrated by Emily Dove is a rhyming board book with built-in ghost finger puppet suitable for humans aged 0-3 to engage motor skills and to learn to count down from the number 5 to the number 1. Illustrated with witches, black cats, and pumpkins, this book makes a perfect gift for baby's first Halloween! Purchase in-store and online.

Another mysterious baby board book title we have available for purchase in-store and online at Bookshop.org is Sandra Boynton's "Boo! Baa, La La La!" Who replied "BAA" to the gentle cow's "BOO" on a moonlit Halloween night?

Is your little goblin over the age of three? If so, we suggest "The Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat: A Halloween Book for Kids and Toddlers", appropriate for ages 3-7. Available in the children's books section at Bluestocking Books and on Bookshop.org.

Fill Your Ears With Fears

Libro.fm has some classic and modern vampire audio books that will bring on the chills while you clean your home or complete your workout.

EeBOO

Find Eeboo Products in stock at Bluestocking Books

Eeboo Puzzles make great gifts for yourself and others. Their 100-piece Haunted House Jigsaw Puzzle is a scrumptiously sweet alternative to bags of candy. We like women-owned Eeboo so much that we enjoy looking at the original artwork even when we are not constructing a puzzle!

For the up-and-coming writer - dare we say author? - or the artist in your life, we present The Alchemist's Cabinet Dotted and Lined Journal and Premium Sketchbook from Eeboo. Unleash your creativity or a loved one's genius with these whimsical inspirations.

October Events

Please note that the North Park Book Fair that was scheduled for October 18, 2025 has been cancelled.

Nightmare On Normal Street

 Boulet Brothers San Diego Drag Monster Vivvi the Force

Nightmare on Normal Street, Hillcrest's Ultimate Halloween Bash, returns on Friday, October 31, 2025 from 5PM until 11PM. This massive Halloween block party and costume contest is produced by Fabulous Hillcrest and benefits the San Diego LGBT Community Center and Fabulous Hillcrest. Note that while historically located on Normal Street, the 2025 event is on University Avenue.

The Nightmare on Normal Street event is a long-standing Hillcrest tradition. It began in 1992 as a community celebration outside the San Diego LGBT Community Center. In 2014, the Hillcrest Business Association took over as producer, and the event has continued to grow.

Event Highlights:

• Costume competition: A major feature of the event is a massive costume contest with over $2,000 in prizes. There is even a special pet contest for your costumed companions.
• Dance party: A gigantic dance party with live DJs will take over the street for the night.
• Entertainment and bars: The event offers late-night live entertainment, street food vendors, and multiple outdoor bars.
• VIP pass: For an enhanced experience, a VIP pass includes two complimentary cocktails, front-of-the-line access, and an exclusive 21+ VIP area with private restrooms.
• Age restrictions: The event is open to all ages, though a valid ID is required for attendees 21 and older to purchase alcohol.

Banned Books Week

Banned Books Week is October 5-11, 2025. The theme is "Censorship is so 1984". October 11 is Let Freedom Read Day - this is a day you can take multiple actions to help defend books from censorship and to stand with library staff, educators, writers, publishers, and booksellers who make banned books available. 

George Takei has been named as honorary chair of Banned Books Week 2025.

“Books are an essential foundation of democracy. Our ‘government of the people, by the people, for the people’ depends on a public that is informed and empathetic, and books teach us both information and empathy. Yet the right to read is now under attack from school boards and politicians across America. I’m proud to serve as honorary chair of Banned Books Week, because I remember all too well the lack of access to books and media that I needed growing up. First as a child in a barbed-wire prison camp, then as a gay young man in the closet, I felt confused and hungry for understanding about myself and the world around me. Now, as an author, I share my own stories so that new generations will be better informed about their history and themselves. Please stand with me in opposing censorship, so that we all can find ourselves — and each other — in books.” 

- George Takei

Order Books by George Takei from Bluestocking Books:

• "It Rhymes With Takei"
• "My Lost Freedom: A Japanese American World War II Story"
• "They Called Us Enemy"
• "Nos Llamaron Enemigo" ("They Called Us Enemy" Spanish Language Edition)
• "To the Stars: The Autobiography of George Takei, Star Trek's Mr. Sulu"