and oldest used bookstores in the country , with roots going back to 1825 . Make sure to glance at the walls as you make your way up the staircase ; posters there show how much rare and first-edition books have fetched over the years . And don ’ t miss the outdoor sale lot packed with marked-down volumes . SHOP FOR : Need a guidebook to go along with your Boston explorations ? You ’ ll find new titles on the city ’ s landmarks , history and more — along with classics like Make Way for Ducklings — right inside the entrance . DON ’ T MISS : The rare book room . Need we say more ? 9 West St ., Boston , Mass ., 617-542-0210 , brattlebookshop . com flying books — complete with Harry Potter ’ s Firebolt broomstick — that adorns the ceiling . FUN FACT : Kinney ’ s Diary of a Wimpy Kid series has sold more than 275 million copies in sixty-nine languages worldwide . DON ’ T MISS : Second Story , the second-floor event space that hosts author signings , holiday pop-ups , yoga classes , trivia nights and more . 111 South St ., Plainville , Mass ., 508-699-0244 , anunlikelystory . com
An Unlikely Story
PLAINVILLE , MASS . Opened in 2015 by Plainville resident and children ’ s book author Jeff Kinney — famous for his Diary of a Wimpy Kid series — and his wife , Julie , this bookstore ’ s name pays tribute to its past . The Kinneys purchased the lot , previously home to a general store , in 2012 before learning the dilapidated building would have to be torn down . Today , the newly rebuilt structure is a hub in the community , with a first-floor bookstore and cafe that invites readers to select a book and get lost in its pages over a cup of hot cocoa . The bookstore is a favorite stop of touring authors , and the young and young at heart will appreciate the whimsical flock of
Author Jeff Kinney looks on in mock horror as a young patron performs the “ cheese touch ” — from his
Diary of a Wimpy Kid series — at An Unlikely Story .
46 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l JANUARY 2024