Children’s book shop to open on Church Street

Hayley Spencer

A BRAND new children’s book shop will open next month above KomiX on Church Street.

Bookasaurus will be on the first floor of the Roundhouse, specialising in books for first readers to young adults, popular classics and new titles, as well as educational books and revision guides.

Hayley Spencer, owner of KomiX said, “Books and reading have been a passion of mine my entire life. I never had my face out of a book for long as a child but as I’ve got older and busier with work and life commitments I find myself with less time to sit and really get lost in a book. I miss the simpler times of childhood where I could curl up on the sofa and the real world would just melt away as I got so engrossed in whatever world I was exploring in those pages. All children should be able to experience that feeling.

“Reading is such a vital part of our world, whether it’s a book, a newspaper, an online article or a road sign! I hope to be able to get involved with local schools, nurseries and cafes to encourage more people to pick up a book and read. If reading becomes a natural, enjoyable habit from a young age, then it’s not a challenge to get an older child to read a book, understand some text, form a valuable opinion and express themselves appropriately as they become more involved in our world, and their cultures.

“Don’t get me wrong, I buy books online too, but there is something about walking into a bookshop, the smell of books all together in one place, being able to pick up a book, hold it in your hands, feel it as well as read it, and be surrounded by so many options. To be able to browse rather than have an advert tell you what you must like is so important, and knowing that you can walk into a place and make your own choice is a wonderful thing.

“I’m a bit nervous about our new venture but overall I’m very excited. My daughter is about to turn two and she has re-ignited my love of children’s books. Seeing her eyes light up when we read stories together and watching her flick through the pages and look at the pictures is so lovely. I’d like to be able to help more parents spend time with their children, exploring wonderful worlds and creatures, as well as learning about our real world too as a family.

“To start with, Bookasaurus will run alongside KomiX. This means we’ll also be open the same hours, which are Tuesday – Saturday from 10am. Depending on customer footfall and demand, we’ll reassess our hours down the line to make sure that we are open for when the most people want us to be.

“Melksham hasn’t had a book shop for a long time now – KomiX has helped to fill that gap slightly for the past few years, but we are a niche part of the book industry and we understand comic books are not for everyone. This opens up a huge door and fills a gap that our town really needs.”

Bookasaurus will open on Saturday 4th March with a special launch. Find KomiX on Facebook for more details as they are announced.