By Milton Kirby | Decatur, GA | February 2, 2025

In the heart of Decatur, Georgia, at 722 W. College Ave., Brave + Kind Bookshop is an independent bookstore founded by local mom Bunnie Hilliard. This Black-owned, women-led establishment offers a thoughtfully curated selection of diverse and artful stories designed to inspire bravery and kindness. While primarily focused on children and young adults, the shop also features select titles for adults.

One of the unique services offered by Brave + Kind is personalized book bundles. Whether you’re seeking a collection of beautiful nonfiction books, the perfect art and literature combination for a special child, or a starter library for a newborn, the staff will curate, wrap, and arrange for pickup or delivery to suit your needs.

The bookstore also serves as a community hub, hosting various events such as bilingual story times, youth book club meet-ups, and workshops for budding writers. Upcoming events include an Educator’s Night with author Renée Watson discussing “All the Blues in the Sky” on February 7, 2025, and a book launch party with Ibi Zoboi for “(S)kin” on February 20, 2025.

Reflecting on the inspiration behind the bookstore, Hilliard shared, “In 2016, after the election and after two years of feeling unseen and unheard as a mom of two young Black children looking to raise readers, I had a hard time finding books that had main characters or stories that resonated with the people that I was raising or the characters that I wanted to show them.” This realization led her to create a space that celebrates diverse stories, not as a section of the store but as its core essence.

In today’s digital age, there is a debate between eBooks and printed books. eBooks offer advantages such as portability, instant access, adjustable fonts, and built-in dictionaries. They are often more affordable and environmentally friendly, as they don’t require paper or physical storage space.

However, printed books provide a tactile experience that many readers cherish. The physical act of turning pages, the smell of paper, and the visual appeal of a book on a shelf contribute to a unique reading experience. Additionally, reading from a screen can lead to eye strain and may disrupt sleep patterns due to blue light exposure.

Research from Michigan Medicine indicates that reading print books to toddlers fosters higher-quality interactions between parents and children compared to digital books. The study found that traditional print books encourage more frequent and meaningful conversations during reading sessions.

Unlike digital screens, physical books do not emit blue light, which can lead to eye strain and disrupt sleep patterns. The American Optometric Association warns that prolonged screen time can cause digital eye strain, resulting in symptoms like dry eyes, headaches, and blurred vision. Limiting screen exposure, especially before bedtime, can help mitigate these effects.

A meta-analysis published in the Journal of Research in Reading found that reading from paper has a small advantage in reading performance and metacognition over screens. This suggests that individuals may comprehend and retain information better when reading print materials.

Recognizing readers’ evolving preferences, Brave + Kind Bookshop has partnered with Bookshop.org and Libro.FM, online platforms that support local independent bookstores. Through this partnership, customers can purchase physical books and eBooks online, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Brave + Kind.

When speaking about operating a small business, she noted “One of the things that I am most proud of is that we launched the “The Atlanta Indie Bookshop Crawl.” We contacted every bookstore within a five-mile radius and invited them to be a part of an event whereby customers could visit all independent bookstores in one day.

We created a passport displaying the logos of all participants. The bookshop crawl was launched on small business Saturday. We are up to 30 bookstores now.

Not only is the bookshop a part of the local community, but Hilliard is also an active participant in her trade associations as a member of the American Book Sellers Association and board member of the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance and has been a member of many independent bookstore associations.

As for the future, Hilliard would like to expand the bookshop and add a café and coffee shop to the bookstore.

For more information, visit their website at braveandkindbooks.com or follow them on Instagram @braveandkindbooks. They can also be reached by phone at 470-440-5714.