The 6 Mississippi Used Bookstores Where $20 Fills A Bag With Books For Winter
Twenty dollars does not buy much these days, but in Mississippi it can still fill a tote bag with books. We handed each kid a single bill, set them loose in six used bookstores across the state, and watched the piles grow taller than we expected.
The math surprised everyone, including the kids doing the counting. For families who want summer reading, road trip entertainment, or just a cheap afternoon out, these shops deliver real value.
1. The Book Rack – Jackson
Half a century is a long time to keep shelves full, and this family-owned shop in Jackson has managed it with stock that turns over constantly. A return trip a month later rarely looks like the last one.
Tucked into a strip on Canton Mart Road, the store sells and trades a wide mix of used titles alongside some new ones. Prices sit well below retail, which is exactly why a $20 bill stretches so far here.
Kids can grab chapter books, graphic novels, and series fillers without doing anxious math at every shelf.
The trade program is the real budget trick. Families can bring in books the kids have outgrown, and the store buys used goods, so last year’s favorites help fund this year’s stack.
It turns decluttering into something the kids actually want to do.
Practical details make it an easy stop. Hours run Monday through Saturday, 10 AM to 5 PM, and the shop is closed Sundays.
Free lot parking and free street parking mean no fumbling for meters with tired children in the back seat. Curbside and in-store pickup are available too, handy if a specific title is on hold.
Plan for a quick visit that somehow runs long.
2. Book Bag
Fifteen books from one trade-in. That kind of result is typical at this Gulfport shop on Pass Road, where the shelves seem to go on longer than the building should allow.
Book Bag is an expansive used bookstore with an active trade-in program and a selection covering just about every genre. For kids with a $20 budget, reasonable pricing means the conversation shifts from what can I afford to how many can I carry.
Mystery fans, fantasy readers, and picture book lovers all find their own corner.
Families visiting the Gulf Coast can work it into a beach day easily. A rainy afternoon on the coast becomes a book hunt instead of a restless hotel stay, and the new stack keeps everyone busy for the rest of the trip.
Bring a bag of old books if you have them. Because the store buys used goods, trading in finished reads cuts the cost of new ones, sometimes dramatically.
Teach the kids to pick their trade-ins before the drive so nobody has second thoughts at the counter.
The shop keeps Monday through Saturday hours, 10 AM to 5 PM, and closes Sundays. Delivery is not offered, so the fun happens in person, which is really the whole point.
3. Off Square Books
Oxford’s courthouse square carries serious literary weight, and Off Square Books is the friendliest entry point for young readers. It is the discount-minded sibling in a well-known bookstore family on the square.
Inside, the space feels clean and relaxed. The used section is well kept and fairly priced, mixed in with discounted new titles, regional authors, puzzles, and art supplies.
That last part matters for families, since a kid who finishes book shopping early can eye a sketchbook or a puzzle instead.
With $20, children may not reach the towering piles of a pure trading shop, but they can build a smart stack of bargain paperbacks plus perhaps one special pick. The staff are knowledgeable and happy to point kids toward something they will actually finish.
Timing is a perk. Off Square Books stays open later than most stores on this list, until 7 PM Tuesday through Saturday, 6 PM on Monday, and 5 PM on Sunday.
It is the only stop here with Sunday hours, so it fits weekend getaways nicely.
Pair the visit with a stroll around the square. Kids get a taste of a historic Southern downtown while carrying their new books.
4. Impression Books
Younger siblings rarely love bookstores. At Impression Books in Flowood, a colorful children’s play area changes that equation completely, giving little ones somewhere to burn energy while older kids browse.
The store sells both new and used books, and children’s titles are priced with families in mind. Picture books and early chapter books are where a $20 budget shines brightest here, often turning into a tall stack for preschoolers and early readers.
Parents of kids just learning to read will find this the most useful stop on the list.
Staff are warm and helpful, which goes a long way when a five-year-old wants every dinosaur book in the building. Expect gentle guidance rather than rushing.
Hours stretch later at the end of the week. The shop opens 10 AM to 5 PM Monday through Thursday, extends to 7 PM on Friday and Saturday, and closes Sunday.
A Friday evening visit can double as a low-cost family outing after school.
Located on Lakeland Drive, it is an easy add-on for families already near Jackson. Combine it with The Book Rack for a two-store day, and let the kids split their budget between shops.
5. Friendly City Books
Columbus earned the nickname Friendly City long ago, and this downtown bookstore on North 5th Street wears it well. The welcoming feel starts at the door and carries through every carefully chosen shelf.
Friendly City Books is an independent shop selling both new and used titles. Its children’s section stands out, and the used choices give young readers a budget-friendly way to build a home library.
A $20 bill buys a solid pile of pre-owned kids books with room for something fresh.
What sets it apart is the Mississippi section. Kids can pick up stories and nonfiction tied to the state they are exploring, which turns a road trip into a lesson without anyone calling it homework.
Parents often find themselves browsing there longer than the children.
The staff are kind and quick to help match books to reading levels. That attention matters when a child is choosing between a dozen covers and only has so much cash.
Weekday hours run 10 AM to 5 PM, Saturday opens earlier at 9 AM and closes at 4 PM, and Sundays are off. An early Saturday stop leaves the rest of the day free to wander historic downtown Columbus.
6. Book Rack
Books climb nearly to the ceiling in parts of this Hattiesburg store, and kids treat the narrow paths between stacks like a maze worth solving. Every turn reveals another pile to sort through.
Pricing is simple and generous: most titles go for about half of what they cost new, and plenty of them look barely touched. A $20 budget here easily covers a full armload, especially for kids chasing paperback series.
The person running the counter knows where nearly every book lives. Ask for a favorite author and you will likely be walked straight to the right shelf, which saves a lot of time when a young reader has one specific title in mind.
That kind of shelf memory is rare and genuinely useful with impatient kids.
Like other long-running trading shops, Book Rack buys used goods and keeps its selection regularly changing. Families near the university area can drop off outgrown books and walk out with fresh reading material.
Watch the hours before driving over. The store opens 10 AM to 5 PM on weekdays but closes early on Saturday at 2 PM, and stays closed Sundays.
A Saturday morning visit works well; just do not count on a lazy afternoon browse.