13 Best Bookshops in Melbourne for Children

We are reading family so we love nothing more than to hang out in bookshops and libraries.

Here’s a list of my favourite children’s bookshops in Melbourne (in no particular order). Many of these independent bookshops offer pickup and local delivery services as well as online ordering with postage.

Find a Kids Bookstore Melbourne

1. The Little Bookroom, Carlton North

Melbourne boasts the world’s oldest children’s bookstore in The Little Bookroom, which opened in 1960. The Carlton store normally holds lots of author events, book launches and weekend and school holiday activities.

The shop is only open for click and collect:

• Click and collect hours are from Monday – Saturday 10 am – 3 pm at 220 St Georges Road, North Fitzroy Village, VIC 3068
• You can purchase books via their online shop which is open 24/7;
• order a picture book Seasonal Subscription with three Australian picture books delivered to your door every three months for $85 including delivery by courier Australia wide;
• You can place phone orders on 9387 9837 or email orders@littlebookroom.com.au;
• They offer free local delivery daily except Sundays, starting from 12pm. Free delivery is available:

Every day (except Sunday): Carlton North, Fitzroy North, Princes Hill, Clifton Hill, Northcote, Thornbury, Brunswick (including East & West)

Mondays and Thursday: Coburg, Preston, Reservoir

Tuesdays: Carlton, Parkville, Abbotsford, Fitzroy

Fridays: Pascoe Vale, Ascot Vale, Essendon, Moonee Ponds, Kensington

They also offer extended free delivery Australia wide for purchases above $60. For orders under $60 it's $5.

Every Thursday at 10:30am you can watch storytime online via The Little Bookroom's YouTube channel.

The Little Bookroom, 759 Nicholson St, Carlton North (03) 9387 9837

2. The Younger Sun, Yarraville

It’s a squashy little kids book shop and not very convenient for pram access – but The Younger Sun benefits from having the Yarraville Pop Up Park at its doorstep, the Sun Theatre across the road for a pre or post-cinema browse as well as knowledgeable and friendly staff. They also hold monthly book clubs for children.

The shopfront is open for customers

• Open 11am – 4:30pm Monday – Saturday
• order online at The Sun Bookshop
• Email them at info@sunbookshop.com or call them on 03 9689 0661
• Click&Collect Orders can be picked up from The Sun Bookshop (10 Ballarat Street) between 10am-5pm Monday to Saturday
• They are offering free local delivery for online and phone orders on Thursday and Friday,
• Postage for orders further afield is $5 within Victoria or $10 interstate

The Younger Sun, 26 Murray Street Yarraville 03 9689 0661

3. Coventry Bookstore, South Melbourne

A hop skip and a jump from the bustle of South Melbourne Market is the relaxing Coventry Bookstore.

I love the soothing wooden decor and there's a beautiful space at the back of the store set up as a special children's area (thought it's a bit tight for prams).

Hop online anytime at Coventry Bookstore or call between 10am and 4pm every day for purchase and same-day contact-free collection of instore items. Otherwise, if you'd prefer to browse instore, they are currently open reduced hours.

There is free courier local delivery for any order over $20 and free postage for all orders over $50.

Coventry Bookstore, 265 Coventry St, South Melbourne (03) 9686 8200

4. Pictures and Pages, Coburg

An independent bookshop located in the heart of Coburg's shopping strip, specialising in Children’s Picture Books, Junior Readers, Young Adult Fiction and Graphic Novels.

The shopfront is currently open, trading modified hours. For help with selection please call Lee or Sharon 9041 6398 during the pick-up times or email your enquiry to pictureandpages@optusnet.com.au. Or you can purchase books: order online at Pictures and Pages;

They are offering free local delivery to: Coburg, Brunswick, Fawner, Pascoe Vale, Reservoir, Preston, (10km radius).

Pictures and Pages, 400 Sydney Road, Coburg, Victoria  (03) 9041 6398

5. Readings, Hawthorn

An excellent, well set out children’s section with the added benefit of kid-friendly cafe adjoining it.

Readings St Kilda is also a favourite thanks to a spacious children’s area and proximity to cafes and the beach.

Readings stores at Carlton, Kids, Doncaster, Hawthorn, Malvern and St Kilda are now open for browsing. Readings ask that visits are kept to 15 minutes or less and payments are made by card.

If you know what you would like to purchase, Readings suggest to phone ahead to place your order.

To purchase books you can also order line at Readings with shipping within Australia is $5 flat rate; orders $60 and over are free. More detailed information online shopping terms.

Readings Hawthorn, 701 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn (03) 9819 1917

6. Ulysses Bookstore, Sandringham

Often times independent bookstores are so jammed with books that it’s hard to move around (especially with kids). I really like the spacious layout at Ulysses Bookstore, with lots of light and a great children’s section – and one of the few bookstores run solely by a woman! They often have children’s events, especially school holidays.

The shopfront is still open, allowing a limited number of customers, and any variation to opening hours will be published on their Ulysses Bookstore website. If you are unable to make it into the store, you can contact them with the books you'd like:

• Ring 9521 8020, or
• Send an email to orders@ulyssesbookstore.com.au
• they can arrange payment over the phone and deliver to your door if you live in Sandringham and surrounding suburbs.
• Please note for home delivery you need to be home between 4pm and 6pm for your delivery as they will leave it on your front doorstep.

Ulysses Bookstore, 1/33-35 Melrose St, Sandringham (03) 9521 8020

7. Avenue Bookstore, Albert Park, Elsternwick & Richmond

A nicely laid out children’s section though up a set of small stairs.

There’s a little table/chair combo in the corner but the best thing of all is their dedicated children’s literature specialist.

All Avenue Bookstores are open 9am – 6pm Monday – Sunday, with stricter conditions for customers in-store.

Avenue Bookstore are also processing web orders, and phone orders for home delivery and Australia Post, as well as Click & Collect orders.

Please order online, contact on 03 9690 2227 or email customerservice@avenuebookstore.com.au.

Avenue Bookstore 127 Dundas Pl, Albert Park 03 9690 2227

Also branches at:
Avenue Bookstore 434 Glenhuntly Rd, Elsternwick 9523 6405 
Avenue Bookstore 91 Swan St, Richmond 8456 0627 

8. Hill of Content, Melbourne

A soothing space with a well-stocked children's section at the back which is spacious enough for kids and prams.

They just need to add some child-sized seating or beanbags and it'd be perfect.

The shopfront is open for browsing. To purchase books:

• Visit during opening hours – Monday – Saturday 10am – 6pm and Sunday 11am – 4pm, but keep your visit to 15 minutes or less;
• order online from Hill of Content;
• email melbourne@hillofcontentbookshop.com
• call on Monday, Wednesday or Friday 10am to 3pm 0396629472;
• Orders / reservations can also be collected during these hours
• free delivery, as always, for orders over $50.

Hill of Content, 86 Bourke St, Melbourne (03) 9662 9472

9. Seddon Book Alley, Seddon

Seddon Book Alley is a secondhand bookstore in Seddon Village. While the store is not big the service from the owner Robert Ford is second-to-none if you don't have the time or space to browse with kids in tow. Plus young readers receive a discount when spending their own pocket money on books!

As well as second hand books for kids Seddon Book Alley has biographies, art, and top-selling Australian and international crime and fiction.

Seddon Book Alley also provides a bookbinding service, Rebound TXT. Rebound TXT repairs customers’ old and worn treasures by reattaching torn off spines and repairing well-worn pages.

Book donations are welcome for those downsizing or decluttering and saving titles from landfill. Dropped off books are given a store voucher.  

The shopfront is open for business. And you can still get a ‘Brown Bag of Books’. It's like a bookish lucky dip!

You just select the genre (including childrens/YA titles) and $dollar amount and Robert will select the books and deliver them to you. If you have any specific titles in mind he will even scour the shelves and stock out the back to see if they have it.

• You can visit the store during opening hours,
• If you are looking for a specific book, email info@seddonbookalley.com.au and Robert will check the shelves and store room
• Payment via bank transfer or phone
• Price options: Small Big of Books $20, Medium Bag of Books $40, Big Bag of Books $60
• they are currently offering free local delivery for customers in Seddon, Footscray, Yarraville, Kingsville, West Footscray, Newport and Kensington

Seddon Book Alley, 107 Victoria Street Seddon, 0419 524 320

10. Readings Kids, Carlton

Next to Reading's flagship Carlton store is a light-filled, roomy children's specialist branch, Readings Kids. It has a small play area at the back and features a stunning mural from Melbourne artist Marc Martin.

To purchase books you can also order line at Readings with shipping within Australia is $5 flat rate; orders $60 and over are free. More detailed information on online shopping terms.

You can also subscribe to the Readings Kids' Book Subscription. Choose from two options: a six month subscription ($185) or an 11 month subscription ($340). Every month a picture book for kids 1-5 years is selected by expert children’s booksellers, and then lovingly gift wrapped and posted out to the nominated address.

In addition, the Readings Board Book Subscription is the perfect welcome-to-the-world gift for ages 0 to 1! An essential board book will be delivered to the lucky recipient each month. There are two options available: a six month subscription ($140) and a 12 month subscription ($280).

Unlike with the Readings Kids’ Book Subscription which features new releases, the board book subscription has twelve classic titles that are posted each month.

Finally, Readings also offers to book subscriptions for adults! The Readings Fiction Book Subscription delivers a handpicked work of contemporary fiction each month, and the Readings Nonfiction Book Subscription does the same for contemporary nonfiction.

There are two options available for both subscriptions: a six month subscription ($240) and an 11 month subscription ($440) for Fiction, and a six month subscription ($240) and a 11 month subscription ($440) for Nonfiction.

Readings Kids, 315 Lygon St, Carlton

11. The Book Grocer, Melbourne

The Book Grocer is a discounted book retailer and wholesaler based in Tullamarine.

The chain had 14 shops nationally but have had to close quite a few of these sites and focus on their online business.

They've been trialling, with good results, bulk book boxes with different themed options.  The Stay At Home specials includes a Baby/Toddler Christmas Bargain Box, Picture Book Christmas Bargain Box, Chapter Book Value Pack and EOFY Picture Book Pack.

They offer $10 shipping anywhere in Australia to a home or business address. They offer FREE shipping for all orders over $50.

The Book Grocer, 455 Bourke St (near corner of Queen St) 03 9670 4304 bourke@bookgrocer.com

The Book Grocer, Spencer Outlet Centre, Shop T19, Spencer Outlet Centre, Spencer St Melbourne spencer@bookgrocer.com

The Book Grocer, 263 High St Northcote 03 9482 7480 northcote@bookgrocer.com 

12. Escape Hatch Books, Kew East

Escape Hatch Books in Kew East specialise in childrens books, with an extensive range for babies right up to young adult.

The store includes space to have a read before choosing a new book, and spaces for book clubs and craft (events are published on Escape Hatch Books' Facebook Page).

Escape Hatch Books, 9 Strathalbyn St Kew East, 03 7015 3318

13. Wayward Books, Kensington

Wayward Books sells new and second hand books but the owner, July Collings', has a special area of interest; children's books. So you'll find a fantastic array of preloved contemporary and classic titles for your kids there.

Wayward Books, 172 Bellair St, Kensington, 03 9372 2141

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