Canadian Independent Bookstore Day: April 24, 2021

We are thrilled that Canadian Independent Bookstore Day is coming up on Saturday, April 24, 2021!

Canadian Independent Bookstore Day was started as a way for readers across Canada to celebrate their beloved local indie bookstores and the contributions these businesses make to their communities. By shopping locally for your books on April 24, you are advocating for independent businesses, supporting a flourishing bookselling community, and investing in Canadian culture.

As Canada's largest and most eventful indie bookstore, we are proudly taking part in this nationwide celebration. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic we are, sadly, unable to plan any special events for the big day, however the Canadian Independent Booksellers Association (CIBA) is running an online contest across Canada with a chance to win some fantastic prizes.

The contest is simple:

1. Buy books. You may shop online, by phone, or in-store with us April 24-25, 2021. Be sure to keep your receipts and all emails we send you!
2. Review the prizes. You can see the full list on CIBA's website. Be sure to read the conditions carefully and select your favourite prize(s).*
3. Enter. Links to dedicated entry forms will be found on CIBA's website on April 24 and 25. Each prize will have its own entry form, and proof of purchase will be required (see below for more details**).
4. Find out if you've won! CIBA staff will contact prospective winners with next steps on April 26 via email.

*One important thing to note: Each book you purchase on April 24/25 counts as one entry. So if you buy ten books, you can enter to win ten different prizes! Or you can pool your entries into select prizes.

**Proof of purchase is required for each entry. For orders made in person or by phone, you will need to include a photograph of your printed receipt. For orders made on our website, you will need to take a screenshot of the confirmation email you receive from us (which you will receive as soon as you've submitted your order).

For full contest details, please visit CIBA's website. Be sure to bookmark that page so that you can get back to it quickly when it's time to submit your contest entries.

Thank you for shopping with us and for supporting a locally-owned, Canadian independent company.

Teaming up with the Moose & Blades

McNally Robinson is again teaming up with the Manitoba Moose and the Saskatoon Blades to celebrate "I Love to Read" Month in February.

Students and teachers can enter their classroom for a chance to win school visits from their local teams, and McNally Robinson is excited to sponsor a special "I Love to Read" hockey game in each city. And in Saskatoon, we'll be hosting a special breakfast with the Blades in Prairie Ink!

Both classroom contests are on now, with the Saskatoon Blades contest ending February 12th, 2018, and the Manitoba Moose's ending February 15th 2018. So hurry and enter your class via the links below!

For details on our Manitoba Moose "Stick to Reading" program, please visit this page.

For information on our Saskatoon Blades "I Love to Read" program, please see this page.

Celebrating I Love To Read Month with the Blues & Moose

February is I Love To Read Month, and McNally Robinson is proud to be teaming up with the Winnipeg Blues and the Manitoba Moose to celebrate literacy in our schools and community.

Throughout the month, the Winnipeg Blues will be visiting schools across Winnipeg to exercise both the minds and bodies of students with their Read and Run program. Players from the Blues will be reading to classes, answering their questions about hockey, and then leading each class in a run. Each school will also be entered in to a draw to win a donation of books from McNally Robinson for their library.

Meanwhile, the Manitoba Moose will be celebrating with their Stick to Reading initiative. Students and teachers from Winnipeg schools can enter for their chance to win a visit from Moose players, where the players will interact with the students and read to them in their classroom. For more information about how schools can enter, visit the Moose website here.

The Manitoba Moose will also be accepting donations of new or gently used children's books to give to schools and community services. The donations can be dropped off at our Grant Park bookstore, and for each donation you will receive a buy-one-get-one-free voucher for tickets to the Stick To Reading Moose game on March 28th, as well as a ballot for a chance to win a signed Josh Morrisey jersey.

Thank you to the Winnipeg Blues and the Manitoban Moose for taking such a keen interest in supporting literacy and helping to foster a better future for our students. McNally Robinson is eager and proud to sponsor their cause.

A letter from Erin McHugh, author of Like My Mother Always Said...

The following is a letter sent to us from Erin McHugh, author of the wonderful, witty, and hilarious new book Like My Mother Always Said... which is now available in hardcover.

And after the letter, learn how you can get yourself a free signed copy of the book...

Dear Kids,

And I do mean "Kids," no matter what your age. You're someone's son or daughter, because it just so happens that everyone has a mother. Everyone! And people tend to quote their moms, rely on their advice, and refer back to something she said probably more than they ever realize.

How do I know? Because that's exactly how my book came to be.

(Read more of Ms. McHugh's letter after the jump...)

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