Tattletales

I was really unhappy with my recent visit to Tattletales and won’t be returning. I am a previous customer and shop there frequently, as I work nearby. My husband brought our three children (11, 4.5 and 3) over to browse/​shop while I finished off my shift. They were in the store for less than 15 minutes total. When I came in, the kids were looking at some stuffed toys and (yes) playing with them. It’s a TOY STORE. The owner of the store came over very annoyed and accused the children of throwing toys on the floor and stepping on them. When I looked around, yes, my 3 yr old had dropped ONE stuffed toy on the floor. I don’t know if she had stepped on it, but it certainly wasn’t damaged. I hadn’t noticed this happening (we were trying to leave at the time), but I did apologize to the very annoyed shop owner. She basically berated us for allowing our children to «ruin her product». I bring my kids to many independent toy and bookstores (Woozles and the larger Scholar’s Choice come to mind) and they’ve behaved the same (like children) and we’ve never been treated this way. I left with my kids and told her that we wouldn’t be returning and that she is clearly in the wrong line of work. Very disappointed. I would love to support a local business, but this one is (surprisingly) not friendly to actual children browsing the store.

Being a teacher’s spouse means getting dragged from educational bookstore to educational bookstore on the regular for pretty much the rest of your life. Sometimes this is a good thing (see: Woozles), sometimes it can be so boring you’d rather repeat the second grade than have to weigh in yet again on which ‘Foundations of Reading: An Instructional Text’ series looks more interesting.
Tattletales is one of the few spots that does a great job of balancing booksmarts with bookswagger. Sure, there’s plenty for teachers looking to stock up on new strategies but there’s even more great books, toys, and activities to keep kids of all ages (and grown-​ups who turn into kids when shopping in kids book sections) entertained while they do so.
There’s plenty of space outside for parking and inside for easy shopping — you don’t have to awkwardly dance with other shoppers as you cram into the same aisle. Staff are smart, helpful and really know their business rather than just minimum wage earning teens who text from behind the cash as you ask them questions. Whether you know what you’re looking for or not, they can help you out.
While I don’t know much about their special events, I do know that during my visit, Sheree Fitch just happened to be there for a reading — a favourite from my childhood ever since being given a signed copy of Toes in my Nose. Very cool!

Tattletales is an independent Dartmouth bookstore that has been around since 1995. First in Penhorn Mall, and now in the newly opened Penhorn Plaza. They’re a good mixture of a children’s bookstore, a toy store, and an excellent resource for teachers. The new store has a spacious clean setup and the displays are an inviting feast for the eyes.
The toy section has a wide array of educational and just plain fun stuff. There’s a great selection of Lego and Playmobile with some sets I haven’t seen elsewhere. They also stock board games and puzzles. This is a toy store I could spend quite a while perusing. I don’t have any children, but I adore this store with my childhood heart and love of whimsy. I’ve found the prices to be fair and often less than the big competitors. They also offer orders on any book or product they don’t have in stock.
The book section is exactly what a children’s bookstore should be. There is a ton of variety in titles and the layout offers a much more intimate setting than the big box stores. The displays offer suggestions on the best pics for books and prominently shows what’s new. In the exploding market of youth books they seem to carry everything. Not just Twilight. They shelve all the top titles along with little known gems.
Tattletales’ staff are friendly and helpful. They give you that local feel only an independent bookstore can. A definite must for book and toy lovers.