Most library systems allow you to browse online and put books on hold. They'll round them up and deliver them to your local branch for you. It's a huge time saver and all you'll need to do is pop in and pick them up.

If you have a library, chances are you can get access to their digital library for free. Using the Libby app, you can download books onto an e-reader, tablet or even your phone. It isn't ideal for picture books, but for chapter books it works just fine.

Libby for Android (Play Store)

Libby for Apple (Apple Store)

I have a lot of books listed on this blog. For each theme I usually list several books in each category but that's just because I want to include several options. In most cases, a few books will do just fine.

Everyone has a different budget and different bookshelf capacity, but if you want to buy some books, here's my take on which to buy and which to borrow.

• Nonfiction Who HQ books - buy or borrow
  These are very affordable (like $3-6 on Amazon) and I'm personally a sucker for having a collection of them. If there's one that isn't available through your library, I'd consider buying it.

• Fiction Chapter Books and You Choose Books - borrow
  Most of these I just borrow from the library.

• Picture Story Books - borrow
  I almost never buy picture books. They can be expensive and you just don't get that much use out of most of them.

• Story Collection Books - buy or borrow
  My girls love these types of books so if I see a good one at a good price, I'll usually buy it.

• Reference Books - buy
  We revisit atlases and other children's reference books over and over so I like owning these.