Magic Tree Bookstore

A proper bookshop! It has a wonderful atmosphere, alive with ideas and imagination. They have a wonderful selection of children’s middle grade fantasy/​adventure/​mystery books.

I was wandering after my daughter’s doctors appointment and cams upon this store and thought it might be a great opportunity to possibly find the books I have been looking for. They unfortunately do not stock them. I then asked if they had a sale section and I was directed over to that corner and told they woukd be closing in 10 minutes. There were two women working there at that time l, the younger was very friendly and nice and offered to order what I was looking for, the other woman was pretty harsh with me and slapped a box of books on the table in front of me as an alternative option to what I’d been asking for. It may have been a great option but the approach was off so I was all around uncomfortable.

I had heard of Magic Tree but never got around to visiting. But luckily a Where’s Waldo search taking place in certain businesses in Downtown Oak Park led me and my son here.
Bookstores like Magic Tree is what keeps me from going 100% Kindle and keeps my kid’s bookshelves filled. I love these smaller book stores. MT’s customer service is top notch and super friendly. We lingered after finding Waldo and after we made our purchases just to chat with the store clerk.
Now MT caters mainly to the younger reading set, but I like that they have a small area for adult readers (and I guess if you have a mature kid that could appreciate more of the adult themed lit).
They offer storytime events, meet the author events, and book launch events.
For example they had a Southern inspired tea party for the release of Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman.
I didn’t hesitate to pick up some books for my sidekick as well as myself… i joined their Membership club which gives us 10% off our purchases, innvites to member events and discounts on classes/​activities.
Love this store.

Support a locally owned book store and get great, well-​informed service and suggestions at the same time. The Magic Tree is an Oak Park tradition, and deserves to stay that way. Staff are extremely knowledgeable not just about popular titles and series but also about older titles or books that are harder to find. They will also work really hard to help your child or teen get paired up with the RIGHT BOOK FOR THEM, not just recommend whatever is popular this month. They are terrific if you have a reluctant reader or a kid who can’t get their nose out of a book. Perfect for everything from baby gifts to teenagers. This is a great old-​school bookstore.

I like shopping locally. I love the cute selection of books. The odd thing is that the staff is never very friendly. Five visits and each time either no offer to help me or an unpleasant person at the check out desk.

This is a great bookstore! The employees are really nice and they have a great selection. The store itself is really cute and has an innocence about it. I prefer to shop at small businesses and this is a great one!

Super little Mom & Pop bookstore with a wide array of children’s books in every age range. Great, creatively decorated space & friendly staff. Check it out.

I like looking at the fun books they have to offer but like others have said, the customer service skills are seriously lacking. I’ve been in numerous times and I am either given a rude look or nothing is said to me. I understand it’s retail and I’m not expecting them to jump up and down when they see me but I am a customer. They do an amazing job of making me feel uncomfortable. I’m all for shopping locally but there are other places to buy books. Sorry Magic Tree but I won’t be returning.

I go to the Magic Tree Bookstore
And I find kids’ books galore
Full of stories and smarts —
Learn numbers and body parts!
The Magic Tree Bookstore is good for kids
Young ones, big ones, and ones that whiz.
I think kids would like the décor
Of a big tree that oozes lore!
They have story times
That don’t cost a dime.
The Magic Tree Bookstore
Is easy for me to afford
With their reasonable prices
And sales shelves with choices!

I like being able to support a local business, but sometimes Magic Tree makes it so hard. They have a wide variety of books, but more often than not their stock runs out unexpectedly. The staff seems kind-​of out of it most days, and they don’t seem to know their stock well. Any time I’ve gone in there, I’m usually met with an unfriendly, glassy stare. Most times when I’ve asked for a specific type of book, the staff has seemed lost and unable to answer my questions.
Another disappointing aspect of the store is that the staff doesn’t seem to know or understand that there are soooo many books you would want to read *to* your child. When reading to your kid, the appropriateness of a book isn’t restricted solely by the «reading level» printed on the back of a book, but rather whether your kid is understanding and having a good experience (i.e. not strictly reading drills). Unfortunately, at this store, the books recommended by employees are very much limited by those reading levels, shutting out the opportunity to share some pretty great books with younger kids.
A little disappointed that time-​frame for their story time falls right when most children (who would be the appropriate age for that) would be heading home for lunch and/​or wind-​down for nap. Pretty inconvenient, so most of my friends and I (and our kids) can never go. Moving it up by just an hour would prevent this.
Given what kind of store this is, you would think that it would embrace any opportunity to be familiar with their books and friendly with local customers. This is really an unmet niche market in Oak Park, even (or especially) with Magic Tree still in business. Unfortunately the staff doesn’t really seem to enjoy or understand kids as much as you’d think. Perhaps it’s more reflective of grownups who are more familiar with children on an academic level, but perhaps don’t hang out with many in their free time.

I have to agree with the post regarding the poor attitudes of the staff. I have had several really poor experiences with the small staff at Magic Tree. They act like I basically walked into their home and just asked for a book, or brought my small, sometimes rambunctious toddler into their home. I get it that my son can be annoying, but come on, it seems like a store that serves children should at least tolerate them politely. Instead, the staff seems distinctly uninterested in their (adult) customers and put out by the whole «public interaction» thing.
I understand that it’s hard to work retail (I have years of retail experience myself), but I am not expecting Mary Poppins. Magic Tree’s owners should rethink how they staff the store. I end up always just going down and special ordering from Oak Park’s other independent bookstore, where the staff, while not cheerleaders, are courteous and seem to understand that the shop stays open because of the people who come in and buy books, not in spite of them.

In these days of chain bookstores and online shopping this store is a wonderful and rare find. The ladies that own the store opened when their kids were little and they know everything there is to know about children’s literature. The staff is required to read the books stocked. My kids are 13 and 16 now and we’ve been shopping since they were toddlers because I know that I can go in and describe a subject that we want to cover or their current tastes and owners and staff will guide me to wonderful selections.
We most likely would have never discovered some of the outstanding literature that they have recommended. I’ve noticed that chain bookstores display and promote popular items — books with characters from TV and biggest sellers and there’s rarely knowledgeable staff on hand to make recommendations. These ladies seek and consciously stock only the highest quality kids’ and young adult literature. They have guided us throughout all the developmental and emotional phases of my kids.
Due to space limitations they might not always have a specific title, but please be patient — they will order it and have it for you within days. And, please consider trying something new that they whisk off the shelves as an alternative. Many times I’ve visited with a book in mind for a gift and walked out with a treasure previously unfamiliar and wonderful based on their advice.

I have shopped here for over five years now, and I keep hoping things will change. The owners and staff aren’t friendly. I would buy more if I weren’t bothering everyone when I walked in the door.
People who shop at a children’s bookstore are there, generally, because they love books and children. Warm and welcoming might be a better way to do, rather than off-​putting and cold.
The selection here is great, and even includes a table of books recommended for parents/​adults. And no independent bookstore can ever hope to carry every title. But I’ve special-​ordered from Magic Tree twice and never got a call back. I had to check in when I didn’t hear from them.
I love bookstores, and hope this place can make it long-​term. I just hope they also pay better attention to their customer service.

I’m into anything that makes me feel like a good parent. Selfish reasoning? You betcha. Do I care? Not one bit. This place makes me happy I moved to Oak Park.
My son is like a kid in a candy store here. Except it’s books. And he’s already a kid. Still… um. just go.

This is my favorite children’s bookstore in the Chicago area. The staff are very knowledgeable about the books and there is always something going on in the store. It is clear that the owners work hard to bring in story-​tellers, authors, and other programs to add to the adventure of reading. If that isn’t enough, book clubs are available for adult readers.
Magic Tree is exactly what it claims to be: magical. I can easily get lost in the store for hours, looking through all the books, paper dolls, and children’s toys. If you’re in Oak Park make sure to stop at Magic Tree.

We love this bookstore. They’ll order stuff for you too and not just books. I“m currently waiting for my order of a Welsh Corgi Puppet to come in!
Iris is especially sweet and always laughs at my lame jokes. :)
I love too that they have a book club for adults who read young adult fiction — eventually i’ll make it to a meeting. :P

I loved reading as a kid (and still do). If there had been a bookstore like Magic Tree where I grew up, I probably would have been in it all of the time.
Magic Tree is great. The staff is friendly and has been helpful when I have asked for recommendations. They carry a large selection of books for children from infants to teens. I don’t think I have ever gone in there and not found the book for which I was looking!

I’ve got a special place in my heart for children’s books. My first language was Croatian, and my elementary school didn’t have an ESL program. But, I did see a speech pathologist, and regularly. It was all a breeze!
Except it wasn’t. My classmates gave me a rough time for having a different name, made fun of my parents’ accents («they talk funny!») and generally, I was the last one picked except for when I was getting picked on.
So yeah, books were my best friends in elementary school. If no one took a seat next to me at lunch, it didn’t matter, my nose was stuck in a book. The bus ride home was more difficult because reading always gave me motion sickness, but even that still felt better than listening to «That’s the Crustacean immigrant house!». Um, it’s Croatian. Fun times, right?
Unfortunately, growing that thick skin also caused me to grow up quickly… when you abandon the sensitivity associated with childhood and trade it in for emotional armor, you tend to bypass children’s books and head straight for the tall shelves. Now that I’m an aunt, I make it a priority to read with my 3-​year-​old niece since she was born. And she loves it. She’s bright and open and questions everything!
I’m so happy I found Magic Tree Bookstore so I can source interactive, smart, creative books for Madelyn. And the next time she visits me, I’ll bring her here. They carry an extensive selection including reads for young adults too. And, they host authors regularly and hold ‘storytime’ for pre-​schoolers every Wed. Be sure to check their website for events!
Cute, cozy and everything a children’s bookstore should be.

My first job was at a children’s book store.
My parents are elementary school teachers.
My sister is an elementary school teacher.
I’m a nanny.
Which basically means I’m an expert when it comes to children’s books and the bookstores that house them.
This store is AMAZING!
My sis came to visit and had been advised by a colleague (in Seattle) to stop by Magic Tree. We made the drive out there and were not disappointed!
Tons of books, activities, gifts and project ideas for kids!
It’s worth the drive and I’ll certainly be back!

I love book stores with chairs. I like to feel encouraged to lounge around. makes me feel all money-​spendy.
This one even has a rocking chair and a really awesome huge tree-​like canopy thingy inside, and is crammed full of kids books, from board books to Amelia and all the way through to teen angst.
And they are cool with you sitting in that rocking chair and reading your kid one of those books, even if you don’t buy it. Which, of course, makes me totally want to buy it.