Tidal Wave Books in Anchorage AK

Tidal Wave Books is an Anchorage institution. I used to go there all the time with my mom when we first moved here in 1994. These were the prime years of me being a bookworm. I loved reading. LOVED reading when I was between the ages of eight to fourteen. In High School my "reading for fun" days waned due to an onslaught of required literature that sucked a bit of fun out of the whole thing. Yes, I learned quite a bit about literature and the historical themes of the time periods that produced such masterpieces, but it definitely quelled my desire for further reading on the side. But that is enough concerning my personal history with reading, let's get back to Tidal Wave Books.

Tidal Wave Books in Anchorage

Tidal Wave has a fantastic selection of books, both used and new, for avid (or even begrudging) readers of any age. In the past, I was there to promote my own love of books. Now I go there primarily to foster the love of reading for my daughters. The kids' section at Tidal Wave is large and the prices aren't bad. My wife and I like to engage in "technology free" reading with our daughters, meaning we have hundreds of books, made out of paper and everything, instead of personal tablets for both girls. Both of our girls enjoy being read to, and now that my oldest daughter is four, she's learning to read as well. She has some favorites, and we do our best to steer her away from books that basically rehash her favorite movies or shows. Her favorite series currently include the Francis series, which is about a badger girl and her adventures with everyday things, like only wanting to eat toast and jam for each meal. We also enjoy the "If you give a mouse a cookie" series and more recently she has gotten into the "Fancy Nancy" series and the "Octonauts" books. She really enjoys going to Tidal Wave, picking out books, and lounging in the kid's seating area looking through her selections.

More Than Just Books

Tidal Wave also has an extensive collection of media for purchase, including audiobooks, music, DVDs, and Blu-rays. We have been able to find a pretty good selection of used kids' movies on Blu-ray. However, be warned, there is significant up-marking of certain types of kids' movies that tend to hold their value more than others. I'll try to refrain from specifics, but *cough* Disney *cough*. The kids' audiobook selection is ok, but we haven't been able to find a consistent selection of excellent collections there.

Tidal Wave also offers other goods such as games, puzzles, knick-knacks, and decorations. Their selection is varied and a bit eclectic, which lends itself very well to impulse buys. If you do end up taking your kids there, be ready to fend off requests for random fun looking things that seem to be right at kid height. Tidal wave also used to have a separate lounge and coffee shop, but this has since been closed off and is no longer part of Tidal Wave. Before I wrap up this review, I would like to mention that Tidal Wave still offers book trade-in programs for both cash and credit, but credit is definitely the way to go because the cash value of your traded items will be much less than the credit value. The next time you find yourself in Midtown Anchorage, Northern Lights Massage Center in Anchorage, recommends you go check out Tidal Wave Books and pick up something the whole family will enjoy.