The smile on Amanda Johnson’s face is contagious as she talks about the best books to engage kids in reading. An avid reader and elementary school teacher, she recently opened “Stop & Grow,” a bookshop focused solely on books and creative activities for children. Stop & Grow is located across from the Miguel’s Cocina hostess stand, in the El Cordova Courtyard at 1339 Orange Avenue, Suite 8B.
Originally from New Jersey, her husband joined the Navy in 2016, and after being stationed in Florida and Virginia, the family landed in Coronado in 2022. Previously, she relished her time as a lower elementary school teacher, but after having her children, she wanted to find a solution to be able to work and care for her three youngsters ages five, seven, and nine. Since moving to Coronado, she has taught pre-school at both St. Paul’s and Graham Memorial schools.
Three months ago, she got the idea to open a bookstore focused on children’s literature, and it has been a whirlwind finding the store and curating the books and inventory with the opening on December 17. The concept and the space felt right, and she has faith that it will work out, and so far customers have brought good energy and appreciated what she offers.
The small space, brimming with books from classic authors to newer ones, provides customers with a wide array of choices to engage children in reading. With options from newborn to age 12, she has discovered that older kids often gravitate to the board books and younger selections that they fondly remember, before checking out their section. So far, her most popular books have been small puppet books, which quickly sold out, and the Wikki Stix craft kits have also been a huge hit.
For babies, she carries black and white selections and bath books and loves to see the younger set progress to board books like the 1939 classic “Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel” and books by Sandra Boynton, because of the catchy rhymes and songs like those found in the 2022 “Snuggle Puppy” book. One of her favorite books for learning to read is “The Carrot Seed” by Ruth Krauss, which just celebrated its 75th anniversary. Books like the “Pete the Cat” series help build word frequency.
Here are just a few of Amanda’s book recommendations:
0-2 years
The TouchThinkLearn Series by Xavier Deneux, like “Fly” and “Numbers,” offer a multisensory experience.
3-5 years
“Your Island” by Jon Klassen gives littles the sense of ownership and encourages imagination.
6-8 years
“The Magical Yet” by Angelia DiTerlizzi promotes perseverance and resilience, with great illustrations.
8-12 years
“Bear Bottom” from Stuart Gibbs’ FunJungle sleuth series, as well as his popular “Spy School” series are sure to be a hit.
“I love book series which generate excitement for kids to gobble up reading and anxiously await the next installment,” she comments. When asked about her own kids’ preferences, she says that while the “Dog Man” books, of which there are currently 14, are wildly popular, her kids adore “Cat Kid,” which is a newer series with five titles, because her husband mimics all the voices as they read them together.
She also carries intentionally curated items like milk paint, which allows users to make paint as needed, beeswax crayons, create your own dough, watercolors to go, regular and travel size Picasso Tiles, and Wikki Stix to help with learning letters, shapes, etc.
With an inviting vibe, Amanda has created a space where parents and kids can take a moment of calm while engaging in book exploration, and her own kids love coming in. She can also be a resource to suggest book options for different levels and interests if needed. “I love sharing my insights with parents and children to connect them to positive reading experiences,” she says. “It’s important to instill confidence in kids as they grow in their reading journey.”
Thinking ahead, she plans to add to her inventory, as well as offer workshops for both parents and kids, and featuring weekly toys and activities. On a personal note, she shares that yoga is her happy, calm space and finds it beneficial for both adults and children. She even has a Sesame Street kids yoga poster available in her store. At the moment, her favorite personal books are “The Untethered Soul” and “The Surrender Experiment” by Michael Singer. “A recent book I really enjoyed was ‘The Unmaking of June Farrow’ by Adrienne Young. I love so many kinds of books it’s so hard to choose!” she expresses.
As a book lover and a fiercely loyal independent book store supporter, I was thrilled to get Amanda’s expert recommendations for my grandkids’ Valentine’s Day gifts. Drop in to Stop & Grow to meet Amanda and find the perfect gift or one or more books that young ones in your life will be anxious to read.
Find Stop & Grow tucked in the El Cordova courtyard. Currently, the store is open Monday and Thursday from 11 am to 2 pm and 5 to 7 pm, Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 2 pm and 5 to 7 pm, and closed Tuesday and Wednesday, with expanded hours to come. Find Stop & Grow on Instagram @stopandgrowbooks and Facebook stopandgrowbooks, and watch for a Stop & Grow website coming soon to place orders. Amanda can be reached by email at [email protected] or by calling 619-837-3467.
