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Nowadays, the first instinct when shopping is to go online. Maybe your search leads to the most obvious site, or sometimes you just go directly to the website of a big box store. And that's when you notice that everything has an unrealistically near-perfect review and that the perfect gift you remember from childhood is out of stock.

Enter Babar Books, a 40-year-old Pointe-Claire institution, whose books and toys are selected based on decades of experience, not algorithms or contracts with a remote head office.

Founded in 1986 by Maya Byers and Helen Gillespie, Babar Books has shared the love of storytelling with generations of readers, giving each the chance to discover their own love of reading.

Coming up with the idea of opening a children's bookstore was what one might call a novel idea. With no dedicated shop exclusively for children anywhere in Montreal, Byers and Gillespie chose Pointe-Claire as their ideal location. The store was named after the world's most beloved literary elephant, from French author Jean de Brunhoff's The Story of Babar, one of Byers's favourite childhood books.

A lot changes over 40 years, and Babar Books is no different. Computers replaced file cabinets and ledgers, but the hands-on approach of organizing and displaying books never ceased, creating a collection rather than merely stocking inventory.

Part of what makes the store special is its belief that classic and hard-to-find books still belong alongside contemporary favourites. With previous generations of customers now bringing their own children and grandchildren to the store, the classics encourage communication and storytelling, allowing older generations to share what made a book special to them.

Now a family affair, Maya has kept her focus on curating the collection while her husband David reaches out to new readers at book fairs and daughter Megan manages the business side. Babar Books is a resource not just for parents and grandparents but also for teachers and librarians looking to foster a love of reading.

In a press release, Megan explained, “The store feels like an extension of our home, and the community an extension of our family. Watching children grow up is a privilege. We take great pride in seeing previous customers returning to Babar now as parents and grandparents.”

The store has welcomed legendary writers to the Pointe-Claire Village. Robert Munsch, Marie-Louise Gay, Phillip Pullman, and many more have entertained audiences at the two-storey bookstore, giving readers the chance to meet favourite authors from across the country and local talent.

As any book lover knows, collections keep growing but space is always at a premium. After 40 years, Babar Books is no exception, and its expansion plans will allow for bigger events, including author visits and a showcase for local illustrators.

“Serving people for 40 years is a labour of love. Reaching this milestone is a big deal to us as a family-owned and operated bookstore. It’s more important than ever to spread the joy of reading," says Megan.

To celebrate, Babar Books will be holding a special 40th anniversary weekend on October 17th and 18th. The celebration will include a special reading of Gruffalo Granny, raffles, book prizes, and other anniversary activities for readers and their families.

“Babar is our home, our passion and a safe space for everyone. We look forward to 40 more years of meeting generations of families.”

Babar Books is located in the Pointe-Claire Village at 46 Ste. Anne Avenue. The Babar Books 40th Anniversary Weekend will take place on October 17th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and October 18th from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. To find out more about Babar Books, please visit their website at livresbabarbooks.com or check out its Instagram page.