The Book Cow's Love Your Bookshop Day

Join us for a whole day packed full of events, from start to finish!

There’ll be live entertainment, competitions, scavenger hunts, giveaways, a spring clearance sale, and more.

The breakdown...

All Day Events:

• SPRING CLEARANCE SALE - Great books from $5. Books for kids, adults across all genres. Some slightly damaged but some very new!

• Gruffalo Granny Scavenger Hunt - Oh oh! The Gruffalo characters have escaped from the store and found new homes in some of the shops up and down Jardine Street. Can you find the character in the shop windows? Come back to the Book Cow and let us know to score your sweet reward.

• Where's Wally Scavenger Hunt - On LYBD somewhere in the Book Cow is a little Wally figurine. If you find him, you’ll be a certified Wally-Watcher and win a special prize (prizes available while stocks last). Thanks to Walker Books!

• Canberra Bookshop Trail Passports - Grab your passport on the day or get your sticker when you visit the Book Cow.

• Match Me With a Book - come instore and fill out a Match Me card. Let our book sellers match you up with a book (or two!!)

• The Book Cow LYBD raffle - Get an entry with any instore purchase on LYBD and go in the draw to win some amazing book packs.

• Your Personal Penguin 2026 - sadly the penguins have been delayed and won't be here in time for LYBD. However, we have a limited number oof Personal Penguin Book Nook Cards that you can secure when you purchase any two Penguin books from the shop on LYBD Day 10 October. When the figurines arrive we will let you know and you can drop in to collect them and welcome them to their new Book Nook home!

Timed Events:

9:00 - Shop Opens! 

10-12 - Live Entertainment with magician Conor Leisky

10:30-11:30 - Book Launch and meet the Author - Tiny Good Things by Gabrielle Tozer

1:00-2:00 - Book Doof Mini - outside the shop. Bring a picnic blanket. There will be an acoustic guitar and keys. One glorious hour for readers big and small with the sun on your pages. Bring a book from home or find a new one at the Book Cow.

2:00-4:00 - Free face painting for kids

5:00 - Shop Closes!

We'll see you on the Saturday 10th October.

Competitions:

The ever-popular Kids’ Colouring Competition is back, with a little extra room for imagination this year. Young readers can colour in the bookish scenes on the page, then use the blank space to draw their very own perfect bookshop. There are three $100 LYB Gift Cards to be won, with one winner in each age group: 5 years and under, 6–8 years and 9–12 years. You can download the colouring in sheet HERE or pick one up from our shop on LYBD day. To enter, share a photo of your artwork on social media and tag @loveyourbookshopau. Entries for all three age categories close on 17 October 2026.

Thanks to Letterwing, one lucky reader will win a $1,000 Love Your Bookshop Gift Card to spend at participating ABA member bookshops (including the Book Cow). To enter, simply need to visit an the Book Cow on Love Your Bookshop Day, Saturday 10 October, purchase a book by an Australian author or illustrator, keep the proof of purchase and enter on the LYBD website. Choose a book by a First Nations creator and you will receive a double entry.